As Empress of the most war fueled Empire the continent has ever known, Zannah has been whispered behind her back of being more of a mob boss than a monarch. She would argue she just sees the reality of the struggle for nations that can't afford peace.
Truthfully, the Empire hasn't had to engage in open warfare since the War of Fire with Hyrule. But as a recovering nation, Zannah has been no stranger to conflicts, from without and within the Empire. Conflicts from outside the Empire by an external force would be dealt with extreme force. If the hostile force was animalistic, such as a monster, Zannah would direct her forces to wipe them out. If it was a sentient species she found while claiming island nations, Zannah would approach the matter at first with a delicate touch.
First, she would offer the species a place in the Empire. All they would receive in return for loyalty to the throne would be protection in the Empire and have a place among its citizens. The people known as the Dal took this offer. Another species, such as the Rakashi did not. When this happens, a strong display of force, even bloodshed, is required to change opinions in favour of supporting the Empire.
Finally, Zannah has been been quick to crack down on any threats to her Empire from the people within. More specifically, the higher up generals in her council who thought they would easily control a 'broken' and 'defeated' in the years after the War of Fire. Once she safely delivered her twins to produce viable safe guards to continue the royal line, she challenged the most vocally negative voices against her to open mortal combat. Once these voices were silenced, she replaced them with younger minds. Since then, she's had an open policy that if anyone wished her removed her from the throne, all they need do is challenge in a similar matter.
As traditional love has never quite been Zannah's forte, the Empress always showed her affections through displays of power. To show off her power, to do so in a way that compliments another, is her way of showing respect, or even love.
Before the War grew darker, she saw swordplay and battle with Princess Rinku as a form of subtle seduction, even if Zannah didn't know it. It made her heart race and her blood burn with warmth when she fought another young woman such as herself with equal skill in battle. The dance between life and death as steel clashed. One could argue that when Zannah was kissed in the middle of combat that without the foreplay and subtlety she didn't quite know what to do.
Now that she is far older and has found love in Annuciata, that dance is far more less metaphoric. She wants nothing more than to show her love that she is a phoenix to the Hasai, a woman who could give new purpose and life to her. She sees sharing power with this one woman the most seductive thing she can grant. And anyone she shares power with is going to feel like they are more beautiful and powerful than any human limitations can allow.
Coming to Hyrule would be the catalyst that would not only change the Hasai people, but change Zannah's destiny forever. Fighting against Rinku pushed the princess to her limits and forged the empress that she would one day become. The war took away her entire family, and the scars she both physical and psychological would stay with her forever.
That final day of the war and the choices she made are what ultimately would save her people, and the world, from destruction.
Art by @s-kinnaly
Thank you for following this years OC-Tober! Probably the last year with using Zelda OC's. Next year I'm excited to introduce my D&D characters!
The War of Fire: Ch 10. The Flame of Death Whispers...
Walking across a bridge that led from the central castle to the main tower, Princess Rinku and Princess Leere stopped in the middle of the structure. The sun was setting down on Hyrule, a marvelous sky painted by orange and yellow hues. Each of the girls leaned over the railing, taking a moment to breathe in air that was clear, and hopefully just relax as teenage girls rather than warriors.
Pushing some of her hair out of her eyes, Leere took a long look over the homeland before. The lush green fields were vast and wide, rising up into the various mountainous peaks that Hyrule was famous for. With just the two of them here, she looked over to Rinku. “How are you feeling?”
The blonde princess looked over to Leere, and the presence Leere felt was as heavy as the weight of a surging wave. Did Rinku look tired? Or did she look old? Either way, her sister tried to counter the weight behind her eyes with a light smile. “My sword arm is sore. I really need to work on my shield arm some more to compensate.”
Leere felt like she could understand that. “Yeah…”
It seemed it was Rinku’s turn to delve into her thoughts. “Your turn. You look pale. And I’m not talking about your normal, pretty demeanor.”
The young necromancer slowly nodded in response, her shoulders sluggishly rolling downwards. “I never thought that becoming a princess would mean that I would have to one day become a soldier as well.”
Rinku had a tone that was gentle, yet firm as she asked Leere to continue. “Go on.”
Leere turned her gaze from the fields of Hyrule and looked downwards onto Castle Town. “I am so grateful that Zelda found me and rescued me from a terrible fate. She’s been the best mom I could ever have. Ganondorf helped me learn the magic, the skills I needed to protect myself. I know his methods aren’t traditional, or some mom certainly didn’t approve, but he’s been the dad I needed. And you…”
Leere watched Rinku wait, a small tension felt between them wavering as she collected her thoughts. “...I care about you. I care about this family I was brought into. Then as grew up more, the expectations came crashing in.” She was quick to shake her head at some intrusive thoughts. “Not from mom or dad. I could handle that. But from this society that I was brought into.”
“Makes you wonder if saving the ruling class is worth it.”
“It’s not just the nobility, Rinku. I feel so different. If I was just a normal Hylian girl, I don’t think I’d receive the judgment I do from others. But because of the connections I have to the kind of magic that surrounds my life, the forces that stick with me, I know that makes anyone, not just nobles, uncomfortable with me. Then there’s the fact that I’m… the way I feel- felt…”
Leere trailed off, her thoughts a tangled and complicated mess of emotions. Her cheeks started to flush and feel heavy with heat. She snapped herself out of those emotions, needing to speak, or she’d be trapped in her own head again. “It was too much. I needed to focus on myself.”
“So you ended up isolating yourself. Did that help you focus? Or did you just feel lonely?”
Leere turned to look at Rinku again, frowning. “Both? Do you have wisdom on that?”
“More than you know.” The blonde hero crossed her arms, still holding onto the bitter memory of the argument they had before Leere left the castle. “I said it would be foolish to go alone. Being by yourself can be difficult enough for anyone, but with minds like ours, there can be consequences for such actions.”
“Like?”
“You get over the nightmares by yourself? Have you found any peace with the ghosts that haunt you?”
“I think we have very different ghosts that try to cling to us. And the nightmares don’t go away.”
“Then what was it that you got out of leaving?”
Leere felt her heart pull at that. The tone that Rinku held in ‘leaving’ implied that she wouldn’t return. Maybe initially she made it seem like that was the case when she did. Leere thought about her year away from the castle. Living off the land, honing her powers, and communicating with the other world. Both the good. And the bad. “I found understanding. Some acceptance I think.”
“Of what?”
“Of what I am. The witch girl, not only adopted by the royal family, but of all of Hyrule. Its spirits speak to me, cling to me. I help them. Be it talking with them, or helping them with a task so they can feel like they can finally rest. Some of the really bad ones… I either endure until they’re gone or ward them off. They’re part of a cycle that often goes ignored in Hyrule. They also helped me realize how important life is, how many of them regret not being able to truly live the lives they wanted.” Leere looked back at Castle Town, almost being able to imagine seeing every soul that lived down there. “I think… I think I’m like you Rinku, in some ways.”
“Oh?” Rinku’s voice picked up, a warm curiosity strong in her voice. It seemed she wanted to see if Leere truly understood. “In what ways?”
“The people look to the royal nobility to help them, but for you, for most of your lives leading up to this one, you didn’t have to have a title of royalty or even fight in the army. You had the power to help others and you took up a sword to do so.” Leere looked Rinku in the eyes, taking in the age and beauty behind this young face. “I can’t imagine what it is like to remember all the past traumas you’ve endured… but despite everything you’ve gone through, you’re still you. You don’t let the nightmares drag you down, and that’s so inspiring for me. I want to help the people of this land that took me in, even if not all of them want me. I have the power to do so.”
It seemed that Rinku, while moved by Leere’s statements, felt concern emanating as well. “But what worries you is what you’re doing with that power.”
She meekly nodded in response. “The killing. I meant what I said, that I can do it. The power I wield is a sharpened knife. It can certainly be done. But is that all I can do? Just be a killer? Rinku, I don’t want to get numb to that.”
“No one wants that.”
“Yet it seems you are.”
Rinku waved that away quickly. “This lifetime has already exhausted me and I’m not even twenty. There is a purpose with every cycle I find myself in. Before, when my duty was complete, it was easier to enjoy my rest. Yet now, even with this amazing family I have, there’s a large part of me that thinks I need to prepare for the next Link rather than live a life as ‘Rinku’. That I’m just the tool that’s used to settle strife in times of conflict, and if I’m lucky I will have my legend told down in future generations. Except it seems that the takeaway for that legend is for people to get on their hands and knees and pray for a hero to appear and save them! For me to save them!”
“Rinku, I-” Leere reached out in a gesture of comfort, but the Hero dismissed the act of kindness.
The princess noticed immediately the emotional pain that was caused. “I’m sorry, it’s not you Leere. I just get so tired and feel burned out whenever I have to save the world on more than one occasion in a single lifetime. These aren’t adventures. Saving the princess, the kingdom, or a loved one isn’t a happy story to live through. There are struggles.”
“But you persevere. You keep going and see those struggles to the end.”
“Leere, things don’t always work out like that. I’ve been unlucky enough to die a few times, only for a fairy or a shrine to resurrect me and give me the juice to keep going. There was one lifetime I did die and stayed dead. I found out in my next life some random stranger took up arms and beat the wizard that slew me. People mistook him for me and kept the legend going. I know it's my ‘destiny’ to be the Hero everyone needs, and I’m going to utilize all the skills I know to win this war, but there’s no guarantee that I will come out of this conflict alive. There’s no guarantee that there isn’t another conflict I have to fight in the next decade from now. It stresses me out of my mind to think about.”
Leere attempted to reach out an arm out to Rinku once more, this time being successful wrapping one close around her. “What else are you worried about?”
“Dying in itself isn’t what I’m afraid of. I have the courage to face death. Goddess help me, I might even welcome it at times, the idea of a glorious, heroic death if it means protecting what I love.” Leere’s heart sank hearing that, but she stayed silent to let Rinku continue. “What worries me is that I’ll die, and the danger will still be alive. That with me gone there will be no one to protect those that I care about.”
Leere nuzzled her head into Rinku’s neck, breathing slowly as she held her close. The princess of courage relaxed, allowing Leere the comfort to do the same. “Then how about we protect each other? That way we can continue to protect all of them?”
The young necromancer felt Rinku’s heartbeat slow down, relaxing to a steady beat. “I think that’s a good start.”
~
“All that’s right, all that’s bright, will be revealed in the light.’ Can any of you tell me which scholar said that passage from the Book of Nayru?”
Impa sat around the children of Zelda and Ganondorf, taking a reprieve from the conflict to check in on them until Zelda relieved the Sheikah of their duty. The bodyguard had a soft fondness for the children, even if she could never fully accept Ganondorf himself into his heart. Impa had been there to see Zelda become Queen, helped raise Rinku, and she would be there to see these five Gerudo children have the chance to grow up as well.
Princess Orana raised her little hand, speaking with a small lisp due to a gap between her baby teeth. “Is it Ma-ma?”
“No little one. It wasn’t your mother. She knows it by heart, but she did not write the passage.”
The next to attempt it was Prince Ralnor. “He wasn't a scholar, but a saint. Saint… saint…Mar…ch?”
“You are very close, Ralnor. But you are off by just the name.”
Finally, Prince Covarog raised his free hand, the other protectively holding his baby sister Kanisa’s hand. “The answer was Saint Marcus!”
Impa nodded, glad to hear that the crown prince was taking his lessons seriously. “Very good. That is indeed the correct answer.”
By the doorway, the Sheikah saw Ganondorf entering. She gave the King a quick glance before returning her attention to the children. “But knowing what an answer is alone will not generate true wisdom. Seek the meaning behind the words, and learn from the philosophy, and you will transform knowledge into wisdom.”
The children seemed to be grasping this. At least Impa hoped so. She wasn’t sure given Ganondorf completely captured their attention as he strode in. All the kids who could stand rose to their feet, hobbling over to him. Orana in particular was vocal. “Da-dad!”
“Hello my little warriors.” Ganondorf leaned down and scooped up Covarog, Ralnor, Orana and Kanisa in one armful, hugging them close. “Did you have a good time with your nan-nan?”
“She teach us Hylia scripture”, Ralnor said in his little voice.
Ganondorf’s nose furled, but he remained hospitable and gentle in his tone. “So she did. Well, I’m able to spend some time with all of you. How’d you like to play wizards and knights?”
The boys and Orana cheered, with Kanisa still being too young to fully understand the game, but still smiled nonetheless. Ganondorf glanced at Impa, giving the Sheikah a quick report. “Zelda wants to see you before she departs for the tundra.”
Impa still didn’t like the fact that Zelda and Ganondorf had chosen a protection detail of his men rather than the bodyguard. Maybe she could have one last chance to protest this to the Queen herself. “Thank you for relaying that information. I will depart at once.”
Ganondorf gave a simple shrug before turning back to his kids with an expressively goofy face. “All right! Who wants to be the wizard!”
“You! I want to be a knight!”, Covarog shouted out.
“I’m always the wizard.”
“You make the best wizard dad!”
Impa smiled lightly, the expression hidden behind the cloth they always wore as she made her way out of the bedroom. As long as the children were happy with their father, the Sheikah could tolerate the King. Making their way through the halls of Hyrule Castle, she gazed out of the stained glass window, admiring the art of Zelda’s past. The Sheikah bodyguard felt pride at being able to be a part of this legacy.
Asking around, Impa discovered that the Queen was already at the stables, instructing the soldier’s that would accompany her the traveling route that they would partake on towards their destination.
A simple set up using a cube of hay, the Queen had a map laid over for everyone able to see. She used a ruler to point out and measure relative distances. “... for the purposes of our target, we are going to call the enemy location Fort Cinder. Myself and Commander Klinge will take a small division to sneak forward and investigate why the Kikai Empire is held up so far away from our capital and why they’ve chosen the tundra specifically. While we do this, Captain Appo will take the division and work with Captain Regan of the Rito Tribe to coordinate either an assault or distraction depending on the amount of Hasai that have rooted themselves. If their numbers are too great, you need not throw your lives away needlessly. All I ask is you keep the Empire on their toes and distracted long enough for my reconnaissance to bear fruit.”
The Hylian Captain nodded to Zelda, letting out a chuckle. “Don’t worry my Queen. We know how to put on a show. The Hasai won’t be able to keep up with our dance.”
Impa watched as the crowd of soldiers all got a laugh out of that. It seemed to produce a well needed smile from the Queen. “I’m glad I can count on all of you for this mission. We leave in ten minutes. All of you are dismissed from this meeting.”
The rush of soldiers vibrated the ground as they left the small section of the barn. Carefully, moving past them like a leaf in the wind, Impa approached both the Queen and the undead commander. While Klinge and the Sheikah never grew to like one another, there was a sense of mutual respect, least when it came to duty. Impa found Vaati too creepy and Ghirahim was unhinged in his loyalty to Ganondorf, at least Klinge could be more restrained and more blunt. Even so, Impa wished she could be alone with Zelda.
“My Queen, you requested my presence?”
The Queen nodded, a wrinkle on her face. “Indeed. I have a task for you. I need you to stay here and watch over my children.”
Impa felt their face heaton, but was able to keep the tone of their emotions well hidden. “I do think that my place would be better suited at your side. You’re going into hostile territory that the enemy has entrenched themselves into. As your protector, I need to be by your side.”
Zelda smiled with the kind of brow that seemed to convey understanding. Pity maybe? “Impa, I would feel far better leaving the castle knowing that you were here to defend them. Your job is to protect the next generation. When I was a princess, it was me. Now that I’m Queen, it’s them.”
A deep concern, the only window to emotion in Impa, filled her eyes. “If that is your wish, I will follow it. But know that I will never stop wishing to protect you as well.”
“You’ve always been good to me, old friend.”
Old friend. Impa closed her eyes, contemplating the order. The Sheikah could follow Zelda from the shadows to make sure their safety wasn’t compromised. Even with the training of heightening Zelda’s perception, Impa could do it without being caught. But a sense of shame came with that thought. It wouldn’t be right of them to do that. She would uphold her friendship with Zelda by maintaining trust. “Be careful.”
“I always will.”
Impa shifted her gaze as Klinge stepped forward, placing a hand on her broad shoulder. When he spoke, there was always a metallic, machine-like sharpness to his voice. “Do not worry yourself. I shall watch over the Queen with the eyes of a hawk. In your absence, she will be well protected under my watch.”
How Impa wished she could see the man’s face. He was almost always hidden behind one of his damned helmets, but she could feel the smug superiority he had. Her glare was intense as he wisely took his hand off her shoulder. “Best you do. You wouldn’t want your leash yanked by our King if anything happened to her.”
Least Impa could make out his micro expressions well enough. From the corner of her eye she was able to glance at his hand making a fist. “Best watch the castle carefully while we’re away. I’d hate for anything to happen to you as well in my absence.”
“I’ll make due.”
Zelda cleared her throat, a slight annoyance cropping up. “If you’re done commander, we have an operation to carry out.”
Klinge saluted with a hand across his chest, like a butler. “Of course my Queen.”
Impa wasn’t sure for certain if he spoke with sarcasm with that title or not. He was always on an edge. Vaati adored Zelda, Ghirahim would not admit she was his queen, but Klinge had a true hatred for Hyrule. Impa was sure that he could become a traitor anytime, but it seemed his loyalty to Ganondorf outweighed his hatred. For now, he was able to get away with any veiled disrespect.
After he walked away, Impa sighed. “I don’t like that he’s the one accompanying you. I don’t trust him.”
“I know Impa, but Commander Klinge has proven himself quite effective. And I think, by working together through times of war, I am gaining his acceptance.”
“Perhaps. Perhaps not. Just remember your own training out there and rely on that first and foremost.”
“I could never forget your training Impa.” Zelda took a breath to compose herself as she looked out a window, gazing at Hyrule castle. Looking back at Impa, she smiled lightly. “Take care of yourself while I’m gone Impa.”
“I will. You do so as well.”
~
Zannah was rather impressed by her brother’s airship. The blimp was incredibly large, with dozens of rooms, from a dining hall, several private bedrooms, and the engineering room where she was now.
At a workbench, the princess was working alone tinkering on her personal quarter blade as she liked to call it. A hilt that had the reach of a bo staff when both the blades were unsheathed by the press of a button or two on the grip. The precise gyros needed had to be calibrated every so often so that she wouldn’t find herself without a weapon.
When she worked, the other Romtan engineers gave her space. None wanted to upset her. In some ways, she was okay with the isolation. It gave her the time to just think and be at ease calibrating. But when she was done, that isolation turned to loneliness. One that she was too proud to break on her own. Seeing a glowing Sheikah core the size of a small rock on the table, she looked over some schematics and set to work trying to put together another blade.
Breaking the silence, her groove was thrown off by the cutting voice of her brother.
“Zannah. I didn’t know you had a fondness for engineering.”
The princess turned to look at her brother. Those sharp red eyes, tattooed blood coloured lines on his purple horns, and curved horns with golden tips and ornaments gave him a very defined and powerful look. Placing the hilt on the table, she got up, giving him his full attention. She wondered why she felt embarrassment being found here by him. It wasn’t like she went out of her way to hide her activities. “It’s a hobby that I picked up between training.”
“Just a hobby?”
There wasn’t exactly warmth in his voice, but he wasn’t sneering at her either. “It gives me comfort.”
Picking up the hilt she was working on, Nihilus scanned her work with a machine like precision. “Do you think you’re good at it?”
“I think with time I could be.”
“Hmm. When I become Emperor, perhaps your place at my side will be chief of engineering. It is good to have more than one skill that isn’t just fighting related.” Placing the hilt down, he turned his gaze back to his sister. Zannah could feel the intensity behind his stare, even when he was emotionally neutral. “It’s about finding balance. Balance that I wonder is still in you?”
Was she being tested? Zannah crossed her arms, not wanting to beat around the bush. “I assume you came here for me. Are we about to attack Hyrule?”
“In due time. But first, I need to test you. Go to the dojo. There you’ll find a uniform. I will be waiting for you.”
Zannah watched as her brother left, mentally preparing herself for a sparring session. She made an effort to clean her work table, then walked through the ship and went into the locker room to change.
At her brother’s request, she was garbed in light training robes. The clothing was far less restrictive than what she was used to, feeling as light as a balloon herself. Usually the chainmail she wore restricted her movements at least slightly. Standing across from her in the center of the dojo, her brother was waiting for her in a similar fashion.
In both his hands he had two separate bo staffs, and with a quick thrust of his hand, he threw one of them to her. Catching it with one hand, Zannah contemplated its weight. Lighter than her weapon of choice, given there weren’t any blades attached to either end, but the same principle applied.
Approaching, Nihilus seemed to study her closely, and when he spoke, he had a similar voice to father, only without the sickly, gravely tone that came with it. “It’s been too long since I’ve seen how you can perform in a fight. The walls are sealed by a heat absorbing layer. So don’t hold back your fire. If you have any still in you after losing Seras.”
Zannah knew that her older brother was goading her to attack. She didn’t care. With a snarl across her face, she used her bo staff to pole vault towards Nihilus with a kick. As she made the leap, she channeled fire into her kick in a ferocious display of power towards him to knock him off his balance. While her flames made contact, her foot was met with an open palm. She felt herself grabbed by her ankle, then redirected and thrown to the ground. With a groan, she landed on her backside. As she tried to get up, her brother’s tail lightly struck her across the face.
“Get up. Try again.”
The princess rose to her feet, her green knuckles turning a shade darker as she squeezed tightly around the bo staff. With a vertical slash, followed by several vertical slashes, she struck at her brother. Every attack she made he blocked.
“At least your movements aren’t stiff. But go faster. You really think that’s enough to take the head of Link?”
Zannah doubled her efforts, striking high and low. She was starting to get a rhythm when Nihilus made his first attack back. An overhead swing coming down on her. Easy enough to block, but she was then met with his tail latching around her ankle. Distracted for a second by the gesture, she looked down. It was long enough for him to strike at her with a knee to the stomach, bringing the princess a knee. This was rewarded with another slap of his tail to her face. Zannah felt her cheek sting from the strike, not just from the physical pain, but the humiliation behind the effort.
“Stop that!”
Her brother merely pointed his bo staff in her face. “You’re a princess of the Kikai Empire. Make me stop treating you like a brat and fight back properly.”
Zannah rose up once more, digging deep into her anger as she struck back. After a few counter blows from her brother that she was able to defend against, he cracked a smile at her. “I was wondering when you were going to take this more seriously.”
“I am taking this seriously, you prick.”
“Could have fooled me.” Nihilus threw a fist at her, but Zannah caught it with an open palm, although there was a struggle to do so on her part. “Was he like this?”
“Who?”
“Ganondorf. Overwhelming. Strength that threatened to consume you, as it did Seras.”
Zannah’s mind flashed back to how her brother was ultimately dominated by the King of Demons. The fear that filled Zannah, the fear of being powerless, made her realize that she had to consider all her choices in combat mattered. She had options, and it was her duty to utilize them wisely. As Nihilus was pushing her back with his natural strength, she let go of her bo staff to grab the arm she was holding back. Following this motion she used her brother’s own motion and strength to throw him over her.
The prince rolled over his Zannah. landing behind her. Even as she followed up with a knee to his face, Nihilus was already recovered. His hand blocked the strike, and he pushed her back a few feet with a push. Despite this, Zannah didn’t relent. She picked up her bo staff while kicking his weapon away from his reach.
She struck him over and over with a variety of angles, trying to hit him in the head or stomach, but Nihilus was quick to palm her strikes away, or just simply take the brunt force to his forearms. “Excellent. I feel the venom behind your strikes, but don’t tunnel your vision.”
Zannah took the training to heart, as she saw her brother’s tail from the corner of his eye scoop up his staff, curling around it. With a swift movement he had his weapon back in his hands, and he went on a fierce counter offense. Zannah was being pushed backwards as she worked up a sweat to simply not get hit.
Nihilus wouldn’t let up against her, frowning at her efforts. “Fight back. Use the unorthodox. Control my central line!”
Thrusting her hand down onto the floor, Zannah released a wave of fire against her brother. It caused him to step away, as he couldn’t quite see her in the moment through the wall of flames. With but a breath, he controlled the heat in the air around him, and gestured to the wall of flames, commanding its fire to die out. That was all the time Zannah wanted.
She only needed two seconds to produce a bolt of lightning. Thrusting her hand forward, the bolt danced forward towards Nihilus. As she launched her bolt, she saw her brother’s eyes flash with a small glow. It all happened so fast, one moment she was unleashing a deadly bolt of energy at her brother, the next-
An explosion of kinetic energy occurred, her lightning detonating between the two of them. The detonation forced Zannah to raise her hand to control the flow of fire to go around her. As she did, her mind was on overdrive. Thanks to this, she was able to make out the sudden and violent motion of a bo staff swinging at her neck. With her own, she was able to defend herself. Standing her ground, Nihilus stood over her, a fierce look of pride on his face.
The smoke settled, and the prince let out an exhale. “Well done.”
He didn’t offer a hand to lift her off her one knee. As a princess, she would have to carry herself. Standing up, she felt the air of battle dying off quickly between the two of them. Catching her breath, she held onto her bo staff for support.
NIhilus circled her slowly, his tail flicking up and down. “You have the skills needed to win this war. I have no doubt about that. Perhaps the power to. That was some impressive display of lightning.”
“You said to use the unorthodox. Would you have preferred a smaller dose of power?”
“No. What do you think would have happened had you hit me?”
Zannah’s gaze sharpened. Anyone else, maybe a closer range, she would have. “You would be dead.”
“Or critically injured.” Nihiuls stopped his pace right behind her. She could feel him looking right down on her. “Do you think your actions were appropriate in hindsight?”
Zannah cleared her mind, choosing to speak from the heart. “If you had, all you would have demonstrated is your weakness in the face of a half hearted attack on my end. In your absence under such weak will I’d gladly take command of both the mission and the Empire from you.”
A pause. Zannah wondered if she had made a mistake. But all her brother responded with was a chuckle. “Half hearted? Impressive. But you are right about one thing. We cannot afford to show weakness. Our enemies will take no hesitation in exploiting it.”
“That’s why we need to manipulate their weaknesses to our advantage.”
Nihilus was putting away his bo staff, but kept an eye on Zannah. “What do you have in mind?”
“The hierarchy of Hyrule acts as a family unit. By bleeding that family, we can have them disorganized long enough to make them create critical, deadly mistakes.”
“Two of their warriors you encountered are sisters, correct?” When Zannah nodded to her brother, his eyes went to a cold, impersonal place. “Then we tear them apart.”
Standing in the dojo again, he raised his hands in a fighting stance. Zannah braced herself, knowing that her brother was incredibly proficient in hand to hand combat. “Before we break between now and the mission, I’m going to spend the next ten minutes teaching you a few techniques. You will not fail against them again. Don’t hold anything back.”
Zannah gritted her teeth. Failure would not be a part of her foundation as a person.
~
The journey into the Tabantha Tundra was cold and turbulent. Riding on horseback, Zelda pulled up her balaclava as the snow started to come down on her forces. Checking her compass and map, she knew it wouldn’t be long until they started to get into a potential firing zone.
Holding up her hand and putting it into a fist, her soldiers came to stop. Strotting past the calvary to the front of lines, Commander Klinge and Captain Appo rode up to each side of their queen. Zelda’s steel gaze checked over the map before pointing out key sections to your chosen lieutenants. “The tundra is vast and wide. On the other side is the ravine that leads to the valley that marks a divide between our border with Labrynna and Danjur.”
Captain Appo nodded a little with a bit of shake. Zelda had sympathy for the man. All that armour must have made him feel as a cold as a polar bear. Yet Commander Klinge was still as a statue. “How do you wish to proceed?”
“Captain Appo, you will approach in a straight angle. When you see any Hasai, lead them to you. As for the commander and myself, we shall travel in a curve from here to here along the base of the Hebra Mountains.” Reaching into a bag, Zelda grabbed a tube, handing it to Appo. “Captain, take this.”
He grabbed it, almost pulling off the white cap. “What is it?”
“Careful captain. It’s a device that we were able to get through customs from Danjur. This new invention is used for non magic users to alert your allies by shooting a fiery flare into the air. All you have to do is pull the white cap off at the top and hold it into the air. When you engage the Hasai, pull this first one. If you feel that your forces are ill equipped, or that you need to retreat, pull this second one.”
Captain Appo nodded, taking both flares. “Neat invention. You can count on us, my Queen.”
“Good. Commander Klinge, I trust you have chosen a scout force to join us?”
“Indeed. This is Fang and Lash.” The Darknut pointed to two icy Lizalfos that blended in rather well with the snowy area. “They are excellent at camouflaged warfare, particularly in this kind of environment.”
“Excellent. Zelda turned to her forces, speaking loudly and firmly. “Ladies and Gentlemen. Be on your toes. The very tundra is against us. We can hope that our enemy has gotten acclimated, but we can not have any guarantees in this life. Stay alive! Now march!”
Zelda snapped the reins on her horse, marching her forward. Behind her, Klinge’s own mount ran behind her, flanked by the two Lizalfos. The tundra’s cold winds were sharp against Zelda’s eyes, but she persisted forward. It took about twenty minutes of galloping before she could make something out in the horizon. Positioned ahead was a makeshift camp.
Carefully getting off her horse, Zelda walked forward in her Sheikah garb, the special material of the cloth keeping her well insulated as she marched through the snow. She could hear the thud of Klinge jumping off his horse, but afterwards, he was remarkably silent for someone of his size. Getting closer to the structure, Zelda noted the material. Metal walls about twenty feet high. They made a pretty well fortified cube that dug into the mountain. “Commander Klinge. What do you make of this?”
The Darknut slowly scanned the area from left to right. “I would guess they’ve been here for a while. Latest I would say could be at least the start of the war. Knowing how isolated this area of Hyrule is from civilization, even the Rito, it could have been longer.”
Zelda felt both fury and curiosity bloom in her. If the Kikai Empire had been here even before the start of the war, that meant the security of her country had been exploited and abused long ago. But now she wanted to know the reason. What had brought the Hasai people to her country.
In the distance, a bright red light caught the attention of everyone in the area. Shortly after, what sounded like a gong echoed from the base. Following this, sharp gears turned and a door opened from the side facing towards the tundra. Zelda and Klinge immediately dropped to the ground and watched as Hasai soldiers raced out on mounted rides, ranging from horses to boars. The Skurge yelled to one another, Zelda was unsure if it was orders or merely hyping one another up. But the force that went out had to range from twenty to thirty men easily. She hoped Captain Appo would be prepared for enemy reinforcements.
Looking back at the walls, she studied them for any structural weakness she could spot. Atop the wall, there was some kind of metal wire with little barbs placed throughout. No doubt if someone tried to scale them, it would be painful, perhaps even deadly to be caught up in them. But the wire itself did not look thick.
Turning to Klinge and the Lizalfos, Zelda motioned to the wire. “Do any of you have a way to discreetly get past that?”
The commander held out his hand, then with the snap of his fingers in his other hand, he revealed an item of interest. It appeared something akin to a pair of pliers. “Take this. Fang and Lash can stick to walls. They’ll give you a boost up wards. Cut where you want.” As Zelda reached out for them, Klinge held them back. “Be careful, they’re sharp.”
With a smirk, she took them when he offered the handle. “So concerned.”
“I just don’t want you making a mess of the snow.”
The Queen disregarded his sarcasm and made her way up. To her soldier’s surprise, she was able to scale the wall just fine. All it took was a running start to start kicking upwards. Despite this, both the Lizalfos were beside on standby in case she needed assistance. With a few precise snips, Zelda clipped away the wire. Thankfully, Klinge was able to grab it quietly as it fell to the ground.
Able to get a better look over the wall now, Zelda observed small metal boxes set up and drilled into the snow. Portable housing for troops and personnel perhaps? It seemed that all the doors were structured to go towards the center of the encampment, so that Hasai would either travel out of the gates into the wilderness… or into the cave the walls were built into.
Hopping down inside the camp with a soft thud, Zelda waited as the Lizalfos carefully crawled up and over. Finally, after about half a minute, Klinge had managed to hoist himself up with a hook. Carefully, he too scaled the wall back down instead of jumping.
Motioning her guard to follow her, they walked along the wall towards the cave. Sure enough, two guards were standing by, facing towards the gate on the far end. Zelda then grabbed some snow off the ground and imbued it with a little magic. Flicking it, the snow flew outwards, blowing past the two Skurge guarding the entrance. Turning direction, it blew into the cave, altering Zelda to any would-be additional guards. Luckily, there weren’t any. With a single gesture, she instructed the Lizalfos to take out the Hasai.
Rushing forward, the monsters were lightning fast in their approach. Before the Skurge could turn to retaliate, or even let out a cry, the pair of reptilians already had their jaws sinking into the necks of the soldiers. They used their hands to quickly pin them to the ground as their teeth shredded their lungs from their throat. It was a ghastly sight for Zelda, so she was quick to turn away. As quickly as they were killed, the Hasai were already having their bodies dragged away behind a tent to be buried under the snow. The queen had a sickly feeling that had more time been allowed, they would have eaten the bodies.
Quickly looking around, she waved for the commander to follow her into the ice cave. He made a swift order to the brothers to wait at the entrance. If anyone tried to enter, they had permission to kill on sight. Going through the cave, Zelda took note of how it curved upwards, how the wind barely echoed. Wherever they were going, it was leading to a massive excavated area. That knowledge gave the Queen severe pause. How long would the Kikai Empire have had to be here for?
It seemed that the commander felt similarly. When he spoke, his voice was pensive. “If the danger turns out to be too perilous, we turn to leave immediately.”
“Only if it comes to that.”
“Zelda, as Queen of this country, it is my job to protect you.”
The Hylian didn’t stop her pace, but her attention had shifted just enough. “Can’t help but notice you did not say ‘my queen’, Commander.”
“You are my Queen.”
“By technicality and marriage to your master. But not in your heart.”
The undead commander’s fist clenched as he walked forward, but his voice held its composure. “I serve Ganondorf. He is my King. I am a humble servant, but he is not my master.”
“Ghirahim doesn’t seem to mind. In fact, he’s an actual blade while you named after one. You serve the same function.”
“The Demon Lord has far more fanatical ideals than myself. He would have burned the world for Ganondorf, for the darkness that rests in his heart.”
“And you? What would you have burned?”
“I would have killed the rest of Hyrule for the atrocities that your people did to mine.” Klinge stopped just before the next curve of the cave. Zelda didn’t waver in her gaze against him. There was a hidden sense of bloodlust that came from him, and she was suddenly aware of their isolation. Yet, as quickly as that bloodlust came, it fell away to apathy. “However, I am not King, and you seem to have been set on keeping your word in creating a better era for Hyrule. I fight for that better future. If you are necessary to fulfill that future, then you must live.”
Zelda supposed that would be the best comfort of loyalty she could muster out of him for now. However, whatever thoughts she had about Klinge were completely dashed as they rounded the corner of the tunnel to the vast openness of the ice cave. The eyes behind the commander’s eyes went wide as almost dropped his sword in shock. The Queen let out a gasp at the sight before them.
“What in Hylia’s name?”
Before them, a massive construct stretched across over a mile long, ancient and modern metal fused together to create a dreadful beast. It was like a massive serpent stretched outwards, with bizarre cylinders that acted as joints for arms periodically placed at key points on its sides. At the head of the construct was the frame of a dragon, glass over the eyes and a forked tongue behind the jagged teeth.
All around, dozens of Hasai were stationed on both the ground level and high on rafters close to the titanic creation, but amongst them were also strange darkly green machine creatures. The constructions had a strange energy flow through them that made the parts that made up their bodies detached, yet still able to work in tandem. The more Zelda looked at them, there was more than scientific curiosity egging her mind, but an odd familiarity she couldn’t shake.
This familiarity was drilling so hard in the back of her mind, she didn’t even notice a glow coming from her hand right away until her commander spoke up.
“Zelda, your triforce.”
The Queen looked down at her hand. The lower left triangle was indeed glowing on and off. The feeling she felt rattling in her skull was warning and dread. Her own reincarnation was unlike Ganondorf’s and Link’s, for whenever she came into a new life, memories of past lives never came back to her. Zelda always had to look to history for past knowledge. Yet, in this moment, it was as if the triforce was doing its best to remind of her a past danger in one of her lives.
Squeezing her fist, Zelda turned to Klinge, a slow moment of panic filling her. She needed more intelligence on what was being built here. “We will make our retreat. Now.”
“Agreed. You don’t make something this big under your enemy's nose unless it's a weapon.”
As the Queen and the commander were turning back around, loud alarms were suddenly set off. Red lights swirled around the work site and the Hasai were suddenly running around like hornets in a nest. For a moment, Zelda wondered if they had been revealed to the enemy, but from a glance, that was luckily not the case. But that didn’t give her any comfort as she saw walls opening in the mechanical monsters for the Hasai to rush inside.
“All personnel, man your stations. Van Kiryu takes off in t-minus 5 minutes.”
The voice of a Hasai echoed from the head of the mechanical dragon, vibrating around the ice walls around them.
“Repeat. All personnel, man your stations. Van Kiryu takes off in t-minus 5 minutes.”
Not wanting to stick around, Zelda and Klinge ran back to the entrance of the cave. Other soldiers of the Kikai Empire were scrambling out of their cabins, marching out onto the snowy fields towards central Hyrule. Reaching the twin Lizalfos, the Queen gripped the flair at her side. If she used it now, they would have a fight on their hands. “We can’t wait here. But we can’t call for backup until we make some distance from here.”
“Then it is in our hands to return.” Klinge snapped his fingers to the Lizalfos to get a move on and spoke quickly in a few clicks and clacks. “Stay close, I’ll flank you to guard our backs.”
With one more nod, Zelda braced herself. They needed-
That was when the mountainside started to shake and rumble. The ground beneath them vibrated as the Hasai inside the mountain were ready to make their grand entrance. Zelda and her team ran as far away from the cave and mountainside as they could. Rock exploded outwards and snow came following downward in a haze of confusion.
The Queen and the commander coughed through the debris as they kept marching forward. A large boulder came rolling down, unfortunately crushing Fang in the process. Gritting her teeth, Zelda channeled her magic to summon forth a large crystal shield just big enough to keep herself, Klinge, and Lash safe. She could feel more rocks bounce off the protection ward, but did not drop her guard for a while.
For a moment, the only sound that could be heard was her breathing and the wind of destruction around them as the earth settled. Through the haze of the mountain snow, she saw something come from the digsite. Curving around the rest of the mountain side like a snake, Zelda could make out the last of a mechanical frame as it disappeared from view.
Pushing the dread in her voice down, the queen steeled herself. “Commander. Get us back home, now. The country is in more danger than ever.”
~
Grand Admiral Bellum checked a pocket watch, flicking it closed as a grin flashed across his grin. Van Kiyru being activated for the first time was everything he could have hoped for. The vibrations of power that went through the entire war machine was exquisite. Years of discovery, understanding, luck, building and preparation led to this. And soon, very, very soon, the destruction it could unleash would be on display.
First, however, key pieces needed to be put in place. Prince Nihilus, Princess Zannah, and T0-D would just about be making their way over Kakariko for the assault. Yet before even that, he needed to order an assault of his own. Feeling his hand over the speaking stone, Bellum admired the magic in such a small and simple little rock. Rub two or more together, and you’d have the ability to communicate with others over any distance you wanted. Speaking into it, he calmly asked for an update.
“General Oppo. Are you and your troops ready?”
A dark voice filled with anticipation answered back. The Skurge considered himself the Grand Admiral’s opposite, a rival perhaps even, but so long as they both served their emperor faithfully, the general would obey Bellum’s orders. “Yes. We are positioned just over the clouds.”
“Then land your craft and begin the attack.”
Putting the speaking stone away, Bellum took a breath as he watched the craft ascend into the air. Soon, the Empire would ascend to such heights as well again. Ironic. The decline came with the death of the dragons. Now it would be a dragon of his creation that would give his people their newest golden age.
~
Ganondorf sat on his throne, fists clenched as he finally had a moment to sit down. The afternoon had been hectic, running about looking after his children and ordering troops to rout out Hasai camps. Truthfully, there was some concern that weighed on the Gerudo King’s mind. Reports brought back to him found that only skeleton crews had been purged. Where was the bulk of the empire’s army? He knew that they weren’t diminished quite yet.
The creek of the throne door echoed as a familiar face walked in. Ganondorf paused, his gaze freezing on Rinku. Truthfully, while he loved her as his daughter, there was now always this slight air of tension that could rise up between them now that they both knew who she really was. The war certainly didn’t make their relationship blossom. He knew that it brought the worst of himself in her eyes.
Still, there was so much good ground they had grown between them. He tried to not be the one to drive a wedge between them. “Rinku… are you well as of late?”
His daughter looked a little pained in her eyes, then shook it off rather quickly. “Of course. Bit of downtime is all I need, then I can get back out there and do what I do best. Kicking evil’s ass to high hell and back.”
Ganondorf watched as Rinku made a swing of her arm and a punch upwards to emphasize her words. The King could feel the true weight behind those words, however. Leaning forward with both his hands collapsed together, even so far away from each other across the room he was a towering presence. “Rinku, I’m not asking you to be my soldier.”
That seemed to strike the wrong nerve with her, a frown and a shrug being returned his way. “You sure about that? Because I saw the posters you printed of Leere and I. Props on getting our good sides.”
“Those are to raise morale. You’ve already done so much for this kingdom. Just your presence on a parchment on a paper can inspire so much hope.”
“You know that’s not my style.”
Ganondorf sighed, slowly closing his eyes and breathing deeply. “I know. Despite that, I don’t want you to burn out in this war of fire.”
“And what about yourself?”
The Gerudo tilted his head, curious. “What about me?”
“You aren’t worried about the flames of war eating you up?”
“My child, I doubt that these Hasai could kill me.”
“That’s not what I’m referring to.” Rinku walked closer, feeling the side of her head as if she had some sort of headache. “I don’t like seeing you on the battlefield. I don’t like the way you seem to live for bloodshed.”
Ganondorf felt his face stone up. Lifetimes of combat, rage, and, unfortunately, cruelty, flashed through his mind. Those lifetimes all ended violently by the one speaking to him now. Did she have the right to speak to him about bloodshed? The arrogance? Yet, looking at her, he saw more of his daughter who was concerned than an old nemesis who wanted to contain him.
Gripping the arm rests of the throne, Ganondorf leaned back in his seat. “Do I? Conflict is something that I have become a master of. I know that looking at the way I condone myself can be frightful from an outsiders view, but it is-”
“A necessary evil?” Ganondorf frowned at Rinku beating him to his point. “But why commit an act of evil in the first place?”
The Gerudo sighed, but felt a different kind of fatigue with this line of conversation than he usually had with Zelda. There was more sincerity with Rinku than with his wife. No, not sincerity. Innocence? Determination? It was hard to quantify. “What would you have me do? My power has never been gentle. Our enemies would never show mercy to us, so how could I afford the same.”
“Ganondorf.” She spoke sharply, a surprise to the King. His instincts jumped and he felt his old rival’s come out of his daughter. As quick as it came, however, it passed as her expression softened. “I don’t want to see my dad turn into a demon to fight other monsters. You’ve proven that you can be better than that now.”
Ganondorf rose from his seat, a wave of emotion following over him to prove her right. “Rinku, I-”
Suddenly, a servant bust through the doors, flanked shortly by two guards. “Your majesty! Princess!!! Castle Town is under attack!”
“What?!” The King and his daughter didn’t hesitate to rush out the door to look out through the window overlooking the town. Descending like demons, several war blimps were landing over buildings of the town as Hasai troops were unloaded. Glaring with a deep ferocity, the King roared out to the castle. “Everyone! Man your stations and expunge this plague upon OUR HOME! VAATI, GHIRAHIM!!!”
It took no time for the Demon Lord to heed his call, appearing in a dazzling puff of smoke and dark sparkles. “I am at your command master!!!”
“Ghirahim, I want you to go protect my children. I will not have another kidnapping occur under our watch. You are my best blade.”
“An honour that I will see to.” The Demon Lord couldn’t help but throw a cruel job at Rinku before disappearing. “I’ll show you how one protects a child, hero.”
It took a few more moments before Vaati appeared, running around the corner in a hurry. Ganondorf loathed the rat on a personal level, but as a wizard, the King had been convinced of the need for the wizard's skills. “My liege. I assume that this is the about the Kikai Empire attack?”
“Vaati. Use every source of power you know to knock those blimps out of the sky. Rinku and I will be launching an assault at the ground level.”
“I will do all I can.” With a flick of his robe, Vaati was on his way.
Turning to his daughter, Ganondorf looked to her, wanting to give her assurance. “Not for glory, not for enjoyment, but for the needs of the people.”
Rinku could only nod in response. Rushing through the castle, the two of them made a quick stop to the stables to ride their war boars, making a fast paced march towards Castle Town as the gates of Hyrule Castle were opened. Holding up an open palm, Ganondorf channeled his magic into a glowing sphere. When it was ready, he unleashed the might, firing the blast towards one of the blimps. The magic flew through the aircraft with enough force to tear a hole through metal and cloth. The aircraft had to turn and collapse outside of the town as it came slowly crashing down.
Inside the town wasn’t much better. Citizens were running around to hide inside homes, but many were running out as Skurge soldiers were setting fire to rooftops with pyrokinesis or throwing bombs through windows to set blazes. Hylian soldiers were fighting fiercely against the invaders, and here in the heart of Hyrule, the Hasai had to face a large cast of diverse and furious people.
Goron smashed with fists as large as the torsos of many Hasai, crushing bones with ease. Zora commanded water to douse out the flames or to knock the Hasai off their feet. One with shark-like features tore into the throat of one Skurge soldier as they were locked in face to face combat. Hoping off his war boar, Ganondorf roared as he slammed into the ground with an open palm, forcing a shockwave to knock several Hasai to their feet, or some that were closer to be blasted into the stone work of several houses around them, shattering their bodies.
From a pool of darkness, Ganondorf summoned forth two dual blades, snarling at the Hasai around him. “Get out of my country.”
The invaders who could immediately responded with fire, blasting a combination of explosive flame towards the Gerudo. Placing both of his blades together, Ganondorf could feel the metal heat up as the fire was reflected to each of his sides. With a roar, he dashed forward, cutting left and right as the screams of gutted Hasai filled his ears.
As he took the lives of these invaders, this was the hardest part for him. The feeling of pure vindication in taking these lives. With another swing, he dueled a Skurge soldier for about five seconds before his opponent made a mistake in his movement and was decapitated. Ganondorf moved like a demon, swift, ferocious, and the most powerful player on the field with sheer might alone.
Ganondorf finished this unit of soldiers flawlessly enough, flicking a scratch of blood off his cheek. As he wondered about looking for a new batch of enemies to kill, his mind thought of Zelda and Link. Being warned of enjoying the slaughter and the rush war gave him. Even now, he could feel his own excitement rising. In the past, he would have zero doubts. Here, he was acting as a hero to Hyrule instead of its conqueror. He should have felt more vindicated than ever. Yet their presence in this lifetime had shifted his core just enough.
The Gerudo King nearly stopped to contemplate this, but the timing was not ideal. For now, he would act in the ways he knew best for the sake of saving lives. The weight of his actions and how he felt would be sorted later.
~
Nihilus finished putting on his gosoku armour, feeling adorned in a snow white chest plate. The last piece he placed on himself was the face mask, a covering that made him look like a demon, but still allowed his eyes to be seen.
Behind him standing in the launch bay with him, Zannah was adorned in similar armour, but opted to go without the helmet or mask. If his sister felt speed was better than protection, that would be her call to make, or mistake to regret.
Each royal child of Malakath had their own beast to ride into battle. For the deceased Seras, he was happy with a basilisk. Zannah had taken after her mother, able to tame the incredibly brutal Manticore that she named Raam. Nihilus, however, had a far more deadly creature tamed. About 40 ft in length, the monster he tamed was known as a Baraki, known in other tongues as false dragons or fell beasts. From a glance, this reptilian beast with wings on sharp claws and fangs could be mistaken for a dragon, but its ilk was far more violent and animalistic in nature. He named his Makuta, bringer of ill tidings and spewer of green flame.
The blimp made its way towards Kakariko Village, and the crown prince watched as the bay doors opened. Stage one was ready to begin. With a slap of his reins, Makuta let out a deep snarl as he took off into the air. Behind him, his sister followed closely.
It didn’t take long for Nihilus to see Sheikah and Hylian villagers taking notice of them. Before panic or understanding could settle in, the prince landed on the rooftop of one of the houses, the weight of his Baraki shifting. With a snap of his finger, he commanded the slaughter to unfold. With vile power, the fell beast spewed dark, green crackling fire on the village below.
People screamed in terror, others in deathly pain as flames consumed them. Dismounting off his mount, Prince Nihilus jumped three stories downwards, as he was 10 ft from the ground, flames shot out from his feet, the force safely decelerating him as he made landfall. Already, the surprise seemed to be wearing off as Sheikah warriors started to surround him, holding short swords and spears. From a glance, Nihilus could feel that these warriors were experienced, or at the least they felt prepared. He would show them just how futile their preparations were.
Two of the warriors charged him, and Nihilus answered the call. On each of his forearms were bladed gauntlets ready to slice and dice his enemies. He danced around his enemies, palming away one man, then after blocking the strike of another, retaliated with a slice across the throat, spraying blood outwards. The red scarlet liquid stained his chest armour, giving the prince his desired intent of fright.
Satisfied by his initial warmup, Nihilus looked to the sky as his sister descended upon the village, firing a bolt of lighting to cause the door to one house to explode before she dive bombed inside. Looking at another Sheikah, the crown prince gestured with two fingers for the man to come face him in combat. The Sheikah drew something from a pocket throwing it at the prince, and there was suddenly a blinding flash.
Nihilus closed his eyes and let his instincts take over as he relied on his ears and sense of smell. The Sheikah were incredibly light on their feet, running at him with the faintest of pressure against the grass beneath them, but it was enough. With a dodge, Nihilus ducked low, his tail lashing out as the man missed a swing over his body. The appendage grabbed the man by the neck, squeezing around tightly. With a wicked twist, there was a defining snap as the Hasai broke the man’s neck. Opening his eyes, Nihilus took a deep breath as he released the body to the ground. Putting both his arms together in a cross position, he quietly let out one word as the rest of the Sheikah charged at him all around him.
“Burn.”
Releasing the energy building up in him, Nihilus thrust both his arms outwards to his sides, and a dome of fire exploded outwards from his being for 15 ft in all directions. The fire completely devastated his attackers, turning their bodies into burning corpses as they fell to the ground in flames, their lungs bubbling and death being quick.
The crown prince looked at the burning village in front of him as the flames flickered in his eyes. Above him, his war blimp hovered above, allowing his soldiers to descend from rope and cables. Warriors in shimmering black armour made landfall, the fire reflecting in their uniforms. With hand signals, Nihilus’ Theron Guard quickly made their way through the village, shooting down villagers with crossbows and systematically killing every citizen they could find.
Breathing in the air, Nihilus started walking towards the largest house in the village. On this day, he swore to himself that he would burn a scar in Hyrule so devastating that the land itself would never recover from. Fire was pain, devastation, and suffering. And he would share his fire with this country. He was Dorami, dragon in human form, and his fire would be known to all.
Glass Love and Desire: Ch 1. Foreign Prince in a Distant Land
Fire’s forge steel. And steel coats the strongest hearts. This was the creed the Ocho, the leading clan of the Hasai people decreed under the guiding principles of Kikai Empire!
The Empire was made of many clans. The Ocho, the Skurge, the Romtan, and the Waku. The Ocho were the most powerful by blood, having the right to lead. The Skurge were fiercely loyal to their Ocho masters, and the Romtan knew their place. The Waku lead the spiritual lead, praying to Exodrum, the God of Flame and War. The Waku even partook in a companionship with dragons. This was the hierarchy of things. But this hierarchy was not to last.
Under his eyes, Exodrum saw that dragons had grown soft and complacent. They no longer worshiped him and the power he provided, opting to create and cultivate their own power. This greatly angered the god, who, speaking through the Ocho, commanded the Hasai to slay the dragons. And that they did, everyone except the Waku.
The red skinned traitors turned their back on the empire, siding with the beasts. As such, seventeen years of war had ravaged the Empire’s lands. For no traitor, Waku or Dragon, would be allowed to live, no matter the cost.
This is the story of my ascension. This is how I rose to the rank of Emperor. And, my son, this is also the story of how I came to know your mother.
~
Prince Malakath drove his blade into the eye of the luck dragon, holding on as the beast threw its head back and forth to throw him off. He was just about to deal a finishing blow when it got smart and slapped him with a claw.
Landing on the ground near the edge of the mountain, Malakath laughed. “Foolish beast. I am Royal blood! And I am Malakath! Son of Emperor Thelak.”
The dragon spoke directly into his mind through forced telepathy. “You are blight Ocho. You and all your ilk. Even if I die here, there are others who will carry the flame.”
“Nonsense, you’re one of the last. After I finish here, I know the location of your so-called King, and he shall fall next.”
The Dragon slammed his foot on the ground. “I sense the evil in your heart. If I can’t live to fight on…”
Malakath stopped his blustering when he saw the Dragon’s fangs bare and it’s hair poof. He braced himself suddenly, feeling an attack about to strike.
“Then I’ll take you with me!!!”
The dragon charged forward with the motion of a cobra. Biting around Malakath’s waist, the force wasn’t too great, not enough to pierce his armour. Suddenly, as they went over the edge, Malakath realized it didn’t need to bite him in half. All it needed to do was keep him in place. With a yell, they both plunged over a hundred feet down into a raging river below.
As they hit the water, the green skinned prince felt his lungs fill with water, and his mind went blank.
~
The war had reached the borders of Al-Daida from Danjur. Yet, the current Patriarch was not concerned with the battle reaching the heart of his country. The Hasai would have to cross miles of desert to even think of reaching the heart of his kingdom. Thus, there were only the occasional patrols or scouts which looked for any sign of Hasai activity. However, the Naran soldiers were unaware of the body of a luck dragon and Hasai prince floating down the Aaru River which connected Danjur and Al-Daida...
~
Chione had decided to venture out to the Aaru River early before the sun rose too high in the sky. The hotter it was, the more miserable it was to work in the heat. Besides, the Kamazu plant was easier to harvest in the early hours. The river was calm instead of turbulent from any fishing boats or importing ships, so it was easier to spot the moss growing on the side of the banks. With her tail, Chione held the basket while her fingers worked with precision to carefully remove the Kamazu plant from the surface of the water. It was a wondrous plant which could cure nearly any infection. Yet, it was difficult to grow in gardens due to the need of the plant requiring another host to feed upon for sustenance. It was both a giver of life and a seed of death.
Not wanting to get her clothes wet, Chione had opted to harvest the Kamazu plant in her undergarments. Her basket was nearly full. After setting it on the bank, she noticed a rather large patch that she missed near a log which had washed up on the bank. Approaching the plant, Chione stuck her hand into the water to pry it loose... when suddenly another hand grabbed hers.
Startled, Chione yelped and nearly fell backwards into the water.
A green skinned man with long black hair rose from the water, his body acting on pure instinct. He held on tight to her, barking out something in a language she did not know. His eyes were almost glazed over, and he clearly was out of his mind. When he was finished, river water spewed out of his mouth. He then collapsed unconscious once more, falling on top of the woman.
Stunned, Chione was about to show her fangs when the man suddenly... flopped on top of her. He did not move. The botanist was highly confused and flustered at the situation. This was not exactly how she planned to spend her morning, getting used as a pillow by a water sprite. At least, that's what she thought he was. Carefully, she moved upward onto the bank, dragging the green man out of the river. Rolling him over onto his back, Chione stared at him. The stories were true. Water spirits were incredibly beautiful. Curiously, she wondered if this was a water spirit or not, seeing that he was struggling to breathe and severely injured. Shouldn't water sprites be at home in the river? Perhaps he was attacked by a crocodile.
Not wanting to afford Nuabi, the mother of the water, by ignoring one of her injured children, Chione made the decision to take the green man back to her home. After ridding him of the heavy steel covering his body, the botanist hefted him onto her back, grabbed her basket with her tail, and carried him back to her modest abode, covered wall to wall in various plants. While she was no expert in healing, Chione could at least tend to his wounds until she could fetch a doctor.
Malakath rolled in his sleep, water coming out of his body and being replaced by a deep heat. He would not wake for another full day. Suddenly, as if a spell was lifted over him, his eyes opened and he looked around, startled by new and unknown surroundings. “Where am I?!”
The inside of Chione's home was like an urban jungle. There were plants of every species from Al-Daida on the windows, hanging from the ceilings, on pots in the floor, and even a few in a niche in the wall. She had done her best to tend to the green man's injuries with the Kamazu plant she had gathered earlier and provided him with dry clothes. It was difficult to know what would make a water sprite comfortable. Though, she did use her own chest wraps as a makeshift bandage. There was nothing else available for her to bind the man's injuries. The botanist was quite certain his right arm was broken, so she straighten the arm, bound it with a ripped portion of a sheet, and used a stick as a torniquet.
Hearing the man's voice, Chione walked back into the modest bedroom with a small plate of food and feverfew and poppies for his discomfort. It was by no means a feast, a few grilled fish, a sweet bun, and some roasted potatoes, but it was what she had for now. As she drew aside the curtain which served as a door, her stunning dark purple hair reflected a bit of light. Once more, she had donned clothing, but it left very little to imagination. The Nara culture was not big on modesty.
"How are you feeling?" Chione asked in her native tongue. She sat on her knees beside of him, noting his tension. She tried to show she meant no harm by pointing to the plate. "I have brought you food if you feel like eating."
Malakath calmed down not out of patience, but stunned contemplation when he saw this woman walk in. The way her tail whipped, the shimmer of her skin, the beautiful figure. Not understanding her didn’t matter. Her tone was alluring. For a moment, he stared at her, his golden eyes barely blinking.
The green man was staring at her. Was this his first time seeing a Nara? The stories said that water spirits near really had the need to visit land. Perhaps he was merely curious and taking in the sight. Then again, Chione supposed this was her first time seeing a water sprite too. The feeling was mutual. Her tail flicked in curiosity as she tucked some hair behind a curved horn.
"Eat." Chione mimicked the motion of bringing food to her mouth. She then pointed to the food on the dish. Afterward, she pointed to the herbs and then gestured to his wounds. "Medicine. You take both."
Malakath felt his stomach growl seeing the dish that was prepared. Carefully, he ate his food. Slowly, he chewed, cautious of any poisons. Had anything tasted wrong, his mouth could burn the food to ash, buy it seemed all was fine. Grabbing the herbs, he started to chew them, mistaking them for a salad.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Chione exclaimed when the green man suddenly tried to down the medical plants with gusto. It was best to drink the poppies slowly in tea or water and then to chew on the feverfew. Shouldn't water sprites know this?
He paused, eying her closely. It seemed she objected to that. Setting the herbs down, he watched her closely. By Exodrum, she was exotic. Was she reptilian, draconic? Draconic people was something reserved for Ocho. But he supposed if there could be other dragons around the world, there could be other draconics. Or was she a demon? Also an interesting possibility. But unlikely Malakath supposed. Demons harmed people. Or was she an Angel? He had to know if he was alive. “Be still.”
Slowly, he lifted a hand up to touch her cheek.
Chione felt exasperated, but she supposed maybe the injuries had known the water sprite a touch silly. She was ready to demonstrate what he needed to do with the feverfew and the poppies when suddenly, he spoke again. The Nara did not understand, having a puzzled expression on her face.
"Ah!" Chione was surprised when the green man suddenly touched her. While she did not want to offend Nuabi, this was... a bit close. He was lending closer still, looking at her with those eyes the color of the sun. Perhaps this was common in water sprite culture? She was unsure. However, when the green man went to touch her horns, the blush spread across her face furiously and she swatted his hands away gently with a shake of her head. There was no way he could know that the horns of the Nara were an erogenous area. "No, no, not there, not my tail either."
Malakath put on a face that was between a scowl and a pout. He wanted to touch the horns. Looking around, he suppose it was time he investigated where he was. “Excuse me woman, but I should get going.”
Carefully, he tried to stand up. Doing so, he winced a little as he felt his chest churn. “Not great, but not bad.”
The botanist almost laughed at the sulking, having to suppress a bit of a snicker. The amusement was rather clear on her face. She could not fault him though, not many races had horns.
"Hey! What are you thinking?!" Chione shook her head as motioned for him to get back on the bedroll. She repeatedly jabbed her index finger down, indicating that he should not stand. "You are still healing! You need at least a week's worth of rest before even thinking about heading... wherever you're going."
“I am Prince Malakath. I can go where I wish.” The Ocho pointed to himself. He was important. He could go where he pleased. Sure, he wasn’t going to be running anywhere, but in this state he could at least walk to the door.
"No, no! Come back, you're going to make your injuries worse!" Chione insisted, watching him wobble toward the doorway to her home. Standing in front of the exit, the Nara's tail flicked once, sharply, in irritation. Without words, she furrowed her brow and pointed back to the bedroll. If this green man died on her watch, Nuabi would most certainly be cross with her.
Malakath thought his options over as his anger rose. This woman was head strong. Normally he would like some feistiness, but he needed to get out. He could burn her with his abilities, but in his condition that might only weaken him further after. He slammed a hand over her shoulder on the door frame, looking her in the eyes. She didn’t budge.
The prince smiled. He liked her fearlessness. No, he supposed he’d have to give into the demands of this peasant. This close, she smelled good. When spoke again, his voice reached a silky tone. “Okay. If I must stay here, you’ll just have to take care of my every whim.”
The bang of his hand against the door frame caught her off guard only for a moment. He was angry. The green man wanted to leave. Yet, if he left now, then he would most likely not make it back to the river for the swim home. The water sprite even had the audacity to sniff her. Was he smelling for fear? For weakness? Nuabi's child or not, Chione was not going to be disrespected in her own home.
"Lay. Down." Chione hissed with her teeth showing and tail spiked. Even her hair seemed to stand on edge a bit. She expected him to snarl back at her, but instead, she heard... was that approval in his tone? Perhaps even a touch of a purr?
Malakath walked around her home, looking at various forms of pottery and plants. Gently, he rubbed a leaf of tropical tree. “Do you… garden. If you do, I like a woman who can use her hands.”
Finally! The green man was back on the bedroll. Now, hopefully, he would be a good patient and rest. Bending over slightly to get the medicine on the tray, Chione was not expecting him to suddenly grab her tail.
"EEEK!!!" Chione spun around, and quickly snatched her tail from the green man's hand, flustered. She shook her finger at him, as if scolding a child. Did he not know how to keep his hands to himself?! "No! No, no, no."
Malakath smiled evilly, patting his chest. “Oh ho ho ho. You can feel me if you’re curious. I can warm up my body at will when I’m awake.”
With another chuckle, he eyed her carefully. “You really can’t understand me, can you?”
The... the scoundrel! The green man thought this was funny, did he? Water sprites were known to be little tricksters. So, he thought this was a silly prank? Huffing with a pout, Chione was not sure what to do with this green man. She did not even know his name and here he was, teasing his benefactor.
"Will you please be good and take your medicine?" Chione once again brought the green man's attention to the herbs. She made a drinking motion for the poppies and mimicked chewing for the feverfew. "It will help these," The Nara then pointed to his injuries, "Feel better."
Malakath was starting to clue in what she wanted him to do. Grinning, he gestured her to come closer, patting a seat beside him. He was a prince. Royalty. He should have her give him the drink.
"That's your bed, I do not need to lay down... well, technically, it's mine, but I'm letting you have it for the time being." Chione thought at first, he wanted her to rest too. Though, a nagging voice in her mind suggested he was up to mischief with that grin across his face. Sighing, the botanist then held up her hands in a manner of asking what he wanted.
Malakath pointed at his lap, then at her as he swirled the drink around. “I wonder about those horns. They’re radiant on you.”
What. A. Flirt. Chione was not sure whether to feel attractive or insulted. She was not going the type of person to just jump in bed with a stranger. No, that was not happening, not today. Not falling for his little trick, Chione took the cup of tea and mixed in the poppies. Then, she pressed it to his lips, still standing.
"Nice try, but I'm not falling for that." Chione knew the poppies would help him sleep. "Now, drink."
Malakath drank it, taking note of the strength she had guiding the tea. Without breaking eye contact with her, he finished it. “I’m going to take you back home with me I think.”
"Now, chew this." Chione held up the feverfew, holding it in front of his face, insistent. "And go back to sleep. You need to recover your strength so you can go home."
Once he had done so, the botanist felt she could breathe a little easier.
"Now, my name is Chione." She poked herself in the chest, "Chione."
“Chione.” That was simple enough to understand. Every culture of people had names. The Ocho pointed to himself. “Malakath.”
"Ma... lee... cat?" Chione was unused to such a foreign name on her tongue. The Nara tried pronouncing it right, but it still sounded wrong. "Hrm... Mally. You are Mally." She dubbed the green man with a smile.
“Mal-a-Ka-th. Ka-th.” Hearing the nickname, the prince scowled furiously. “I can get your name right, ‘He-own-e’, the least you can do is try to get mine right.”
"Nope. Mally!" Chione grinned wider at his obvious displeasure at the nickname. It did not bother her at all when he purposely said her name wrong. Covering him with a blanket, she gently pressed back on his shoulders so he would lay down. "That's what you get for being a flirt and grabbing my tail without permission. A gentleman asks before touching."
Oh? Now she wants to flirt? She had spunk, he would give her that. He leaned up closely, playing hard to cooperate. “I don’t feel like resting again yet.”
"Down." Chione simply used her brute strength to make Malakath lay back on the bedroll. It was a touch amusing, seeing that flash of surprise across his face. Fixing the blanket, the Nara then instructed, "Sleep. Rest." She pretended her hands were a pillow and rested her head upon them, giving the sign for sleep. "Sleep, Mally. You'll feel better soon."
“… Fine, I’ll play along. For now.” He grabbed her hand before she left him. Gently, he rubbed her fingers. She felt firm. “I wonder if this is your bedroll. Where will you go, but back to me.”
What was this? Now he was being affectionate with his touches? Perhaps he felt bad about his cheeky behavior. Either way, Chione supposed the poor man had been through a lot today, perhaps worse in the days past.
"You'll be okay," Chione patted his hand for reassurance.
Closing his eyes, Malakath allowed himself the peace of recovery. The comfort of a beautiful woman, even a foreign one, helped ease his mind.
Next Ch. https://mrneighbourlove.tumblr.com/post/739289093975031808/glass-love-and-desire-ch-2-return-to-home
Collaborative story written with @ridersoftheapocalypse. Prequel to The War of Fire
Glass Love and Desire: Ch 5. Preparation for the Future.
The week after his wedding, Malakath was especially high in his glory. He didn’t care for the celebrations themselves; all that mattered was the rewards that were cultivated. All the Hasai loved him. He was the prodigal son; a new beautiful wife at his side and being a war hero gave him that honour. But events for Chione were starting to snow ball quickly. The Hasai, especially those deep in the Kikai Empire, wanted to know what kind of woman she was, and how she could be used politically.
There was very little time for a honeymoon period since Mally's people were eager to hear updates on their marriage. While Chione understood he had a duty to his kingdom, she did wish it was just a little more time for the two of them. Still, while he was away with meetings and diplomatic issues, she learned the Hasai language and tended to the beautiful garden that her husband gifted her. Within the short time Chione had been in the Kikai Empire, she had covered the greenhouse with a variety of plants. The botanist was currently trying to hybridize a Naran Kamazu with a Kikai Lily to produce a stunning red lily which could survive extreme heat and in a watery environment. So far, it was a waiting game to see if her efforts paid off in the end.
Still, it was a little lonely with limited interactions, waiting on Mally.
Coming through the door, Malakath entered with company beside him. Strolling in, the Prince gave his wife a kiss on the cheek. “How goes your experiment?”
"Mally!" Chione was delighted to see her husband after he had been in meetings all day. She purred loudly, her tail wrapping around his leg to pull him in closer for a deep kiss. Narans were especially affectionate with their mate. "I have growth for the hybrids. Soon, I hope to present you with a red lily. The white ones you have are beautiful, but imagine if I could grow these for you. It would be a blend of my home and yours, something truly ours."
“I like the sound of that. A mark I can leave on the lands of the Kikai Empire itself.” He enjoyed the deep kiss she gave him, a perk of a lovely woman like Chione. Pulling back, he licked his lips as he introduced his companion. “My dear Chione, may I introduce you to my confidant, Captain Bellum.”
The man before her was dressed in an onyx black uniform. With sharp blue skin and purple eyes, he was a Romtan. His gaze was analytic and stoic, and his tone was polite when he spoke. “Greetings, Princess Chione. We didn’t have a chance to speak at the wedding,”
"It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance." Chione's grasp of the Hasai language had improved immensely, despite Mally's sister teasing her about such a thick accent. "Captain of..." She paused, thinking of the right word. glancing at Mally for the correction translation. "Um... the fighters? All the fighters?"
"Simply a captain, Princess. I command my ship, the KE-Entrapment. There are many captains. Maybe one day I can be the first admiral of my kind in the empire." He smiled, breaking some tension. "I do lead the engineering department, however. I took the liberty in constructing your greenhouse."
"You built this?" Chione gestured to the greenhouse in surprise, but smiling so brightly at the revelation. Even her tail wagged from the thought of such a wondrous building in the stages of construction. Before she thought, the Naran blurted, "I want another one!"
Realizing what she suddenly said, Chione sheepishly then admitted, "I mean... it would be nice to have another one, but this one is plenty for now! It's just so... so at home. I feel at home in here with the plants. It's one of the best gifts I've ever received." She nuzzled foreheads with Mally, "My mate knows me well."
"You're a princess now, consider it a command." Bellum gestured to the plants she was making. "Tell me, Prince Malakath mentioned an experiment. What are you trying to create?"
"I do not wish to make a request of another greenhouse when I know the safety of the Hasai people takes precedence." Chione did not like the idea of being so demanding, but would not reject an offer of another building for her plants. "Only if you have time and wish to do so."
When Bellum inquired of the lilies, Chione bent down to show him the white Hasai lilies and Kamazu plant growing side by side. She explained, "This is a Kamazu plant from Al-Daida. It is good for all properties of healing, especially infection. Mally told me his favorite plant was the Hasai lily. He said the white lilies were good for increasing the hotness of a Hasai's flame in battle." She motioned to the tiny little buds starting to grow. "If these hybrids survive, I will have created a plant that is resistant to heat, thrives in soil or water, and may provide special healing properties to those who command fire here. A plus for all the souls in Kikai."
"Well, I'm sure the Skurge and Ocho will enjoy the practicality of the plant. While I can admire it myself, I think I will enjoy its beauty more."
Malakath patted his wife's back, enjoying the fact she and Bellum seemed to be hitting it off. "We're in times of peace right now. You can have all the greenhouses you wish."
"We still need a proper name for them," Chione thought a grandiose title was in place for the plant instead of a simple red lily. "What do you suggest, Bellum?"
"Oh, I dare not take away that honour from you. You're the artist after all."
"A good artist is always open to suggestions," Chione countered with a smile. "Mally? What about you? After all, they're my gift to you."
Malakath thought about it for a moment, then shrugged his shoulders. "I agree with Captain Bellum. It's your design. You're a princess of the Empire now. One day, you'll be a future Empress. It's up to you to leave your legacy. That means it's your name for your creation."
"Very well," Chione then stated, "Then I will call them kaji lilies, after the great fire that Mally controls, and many other fire users of the Hasai people. For the Narans, my native tongue, it will be Anwara Lilies, since their radiance will glow even with the lack of the sun."
"That's a beautiful name my dear." Malakath kissed her again, grinning happily. "Bellum, wouldn't you agree?"
"Yes my prince. It is a very fine name. I shall go put the order in to start building other green houses, unless either of you need anything further from me?"
"I would like to request your knowledge of the military system , Bellum." Chione asked the captain with sincerity. "I still have much to learn about the Hasai people. What better way to learn about the military than from someone who is in it?"
“Excellent. If you have time, I can teach you the devil in the details that help keep the empire running. Perhaps you’d also like some self defense lessons?”
"There are no dragons left. Not anymore." Bellum seemed to speak with a tinge of regret, but not enough to rouse Malakath's suspicions. "I speak of hand to hand combat. Wrestling is merely a sport."
"Sport? In Al-Daida, it is the main way females subdue their males." Chione did not realize the Hasai people considered wrestling a mere pastime. "Very well, I'd be happy to learn, though you might have your work cut out for you. The only weapon I've ever held is my carving knife for the plants."
"That's fine. Everyone begins from nothing. Even Prince Malakath had to learn technique." Bellum gave her a bow. "If you excuse me, I'm sure the prince can tell you where to find me."
Watching the Captain leave, Malakath nudged his wife. "What do you think of him?"
"From what little you told me about him before, I thought he'd be ten feet tall and super imposing." Chione admitted to her husband, before pouncing on him, knocking him to the ground. Smirking from ear to ear, the Nara then said, "But he's wrong about wrestling simply being a sport," She leaned down to nibble on his ear, "It's a way of passion to the Naras."
"Oh, I agree. This is far better than a sport. Wrestling for us is combat. Passion is far better." Malakath grinned ear to ear.
"What better place to find passion than here?" Chione grinded her hips downward to tease him. "In the beautiful gift you gave to me?" She was quite bold when it was just her and Mally together, especially pertaining to intercourse. "Just imagine. Each time I come here to tend to my plants, I'll remember how handsome you looked, sprawled out underneath me, just like this."
"Then why don't we make a sweet memory?"
"And have everyone smelling how we fucked?" Chione mused, teasing. "Scandalous. Although, it is my greenhouse."
The Nara slipped her tail into Malakath's pants, rubbing against his length. Her hands were busy sliding up his shirt, as her tongue traced from his navel to a nipple, giving a harsh bite, before going to his throat. She loved how his body was, and even more so, the noises he made for her.
They started kissing and feeling each up on another, getting more and more intense as they went on. Just as Malakath was pulling his member out of his pants, positioned right behind Chinoe with a horn in his other hand, his sister happened to come marching around the corner.
"Chione, are you- HOLY EXODRUM! What the fuck are you two doing?" She looked away, extremely embarrassed by the site of them. "Why here?!"
Malakath barely batted an eye. "I'm going to make love to my beautiful, strong wife. What does it look like to you?"
"Oh go fuck yourself. Just- please stop."
Chione was far from embarrassed. No, the Nara was actually very pissed. For the past two weeks, Silvia had made it her personal mission to interrupt any kind of mating session. Her tail twitched in irritation. She had tried her best to be kind to Silvia, but her sister-in-law had brushed off any attempts for conversation. Matter of fact, Silvia had been quite rude to Chione.
"Tell her to leave." Chione growled, "We haven't fucked in days because of continuous interruptions, and my heat cycle is ending in two days. If you want a child, we need to try. Now."
"I wanted to ask you a favour here, I didn't know my brother was here!" Silvia still didn't dare look at them. "I'll leave you to your debauchery."
"Oh come sister. Stay. You might actually learn how to please a man."
"Go to hell brother."
"Wait outside if you wish to speak so urgently." Chione nipped at Mally's bottom lip, having little to no filter during her heat cycle. "With how vigorous your brother is, it won't take too long for a rut. If he only goes for one round, that is."
Silvia held her hands up in defeat and turned to leave. "Goodbye."
Malakath grinned wickedly. Now his sister would know just how far behind she was.
"Finally," Chione purred in satisfaction as she wiggled her backside at Malakath. She made sure to move her tail out of the way as she lowered her head down onto her arms, on all fours. This was her favorite position, allowing him to thrust as hard, as fast, and as deep as he liked. "Some time for just me and you."
"Finally."
Silvia waited outside on a nearby balcony, tapping her fingers impatiently. An hour went by and there was no sign of Silvia. The last thing she wanted-
"Oh hello darling."
... was to be disturbed. "Hello father."
The Emperor smiled broadly, taking a seat across from her. "You know darling, you really need to learn how to knock. No one likes a pervert."
"I'm not a pervert, father."
"Your constant attempts to stop me from having grandchildren would say otherwise. From what I overheard, you can't make me believe you wanted to ask Chione an actual favour."
"I did..."
"Oh my dear, dear Silvia. I'm impressed you're still wanting to keep yourself ahead of the game. You're not a quitter, I'll give you that."
Silvia grimaced. For once she wished her father didn't want to play games. Yet, she never wanted to disappoint him either. "I never do."
After a very passionate and intense bout of love making, Chione was persuaded by her husband to at least hear Silvia's request. Five rounds of rutting had put Chione in a better mood to entertain the idea. Fixing her dress and her hair, the Nara walked through the curtains on the balcony, not realizing there was other present company.
"Silvia, what do you want that's so important you had to interrupt Mally and---oh!" Chione saw Emperor Chillowack and immediately extended a polite bow. It was customary in the Hasai culture. "I beg pardon, father-in-law, I did not know you were here as well. I hope I did not keep you waiting too long. Your son is quite..." She figured there was no way to sugar coat it, especially since Hasai noses were quite adept at scents. "Demanding."
"I'm sure he is." Chillowack winked with a chuckle. "Just pretend I'm not here. I would love to simply observe how my new daughter will get along with the old."
Silvia held a stare at her father that was cold and distant, yet held a barely contained hatred.
"In all honesty, father-in-law, that remains to be seen." Chione replied candidly to the Emperor. While she would not show weakness around him, the Nara was not above being blunt. Mally told her that his father appreciated the brutal truth... most of the time. For some reason, he found it amusing. "I've little time to know Silvia, but more with Mally."
"Then you two should get to know one another. After all, you're both big cogs in the machine that runs the Empire. Best you both get along."
"That all depends if she's going to keep interrupting your son and I." Chione retorted dryly, "But I will endeavor to be a good sister-in-law."
"You shouldn't have to rush into such things just to spite me." Silvia sneered, but remained in her seat.
"You shouldn't have judged me before you knew me." Chione snapped right back, tired of taking Silvia's constant snide remarks. "I have done no wrong against you, yet you are rude, short, and view me as inferior all due to the fact that Mally and I wed before you have found a mate." She went straight to the heart of the matter. "Your fear of being replaced by a child of ours is irrational. You are his sister, and he cares for you. I seek no ill will towards you and wish you happiness like I have found with your brother."
She then added, crossing her arms, standing tall. "But if you insist on being petty like a young teenager, then I will not indulge you. I would like to be friends, since I have so few here, but I will not be belittled nor made to feel beneath you each time we speak. I am not Hasai, but I am Naran, and I do commend the same amount of respect as you."
"Fine. Be naive." Taking a deep breath, Silvia shook her growing animosity off, least for a moment. "I need your advice as a botanist."
"I'd rather be naive than prickly like you." Chione growled in annoyance, but was surprised at such a statement. "You want to know about plants?"
“I want to know about romantic plants.”
"Romantic plants?" Chione could not believe what she was hearing. "The language of flowers? As in, nine roses means 'our love is eternal'?"
“Yes. I need to know what the best bouquet of flowers to give a mate would be.”
"Red carnation, apple blossoms, white lilies, daisies, yellow pansies, and red tulips would make for a grand gesture," Chione stated off the flowers she knew that proposed intentions toward another. "Unless you rather settle for a single rose to declare love."
“Thank you.” Silvia was quick with her response. It was all she could muster.
"I do not have all of those species in my garden yet, but you are welcome to gather a few." Chione figured it would keep Silvia out of her hair for now by giving the woman what she wanted. "My assistant will help you."
“That’s good to hear.” Silvia stood up, and grasped Chione’s hands to shake them. “You have a good day, sister.”
"... good luck with your romantic endeavor." Chione was confused by Silvia's behavior for sure. Why the sudden change of heart? Yet, the Nara was not convinced. Silvia was probably using her for whatever small benefit she could get.
Chillowack chuckled at the sight of his daughter barely being able to ask for a favour. "Run along princess."
After he left, he smiled at Chione favourably. "It's no business of mine to say where you should or shouldn't make love, but I would advise caution doing it in a public setting. We aren’t savages dear."
"I apologize," Chione's tail twitched slightly, not exactly wanting to discuss this topic with her father-in-law, but a Hasai's nose never lied. "The fault lies upon me. Naran heat cycles are hellish to endure, and your son will not deny me. I will be more mindful of my surroundings in the future."
“Good to hear dear. I am very excited to know what you name your twins.”
"... twins?" Chione blinked, a bit caught off guard. "What makes you think there's going to be twins? Is it common for Hasai to have multiples?"
Chillowack looked surprised. “You mean he hasn’t told you? It's a royal tradition. Those who give birth to Ocho children always give birth to twins. One boy, one girl.”
"No, I... well... I'm not Hasai." Chione wondered how the cross between their two races would work. "Does that mean I will still have twins?"
“Well, Malakath is. His blessed seed will be enough.”
"Well... I um..." Chione was not sure how to react to this news, but supposed it was not a bad thing. Names. What names would Mally like? What did she like? "I've always liked Zannah for a girl. I thought it was very regal for a lady." She thought for a moment more, "Maybe... maybe Nihilus for a boy. Or Seras. Both are strong names for a son." Curious, she then asked, "What about you? I'm sure you've discussed names with Mally before."
“Please, not my place. Naming was exhausting enough with him and Silvia.”
"Names hold meaning in many cultures, father-in-law," Chione reminded the Emperor with a small smile. "If anything, I want our children to be healthy, to be strong... and to be happy."
“Happiness? Oh that is just adorable.” The Emperor stood up, shaking his head. “Strong and healthy, I certainly hope so. But take it from me. Don’t promise happiness. You’ll often be disappointed. Good day dear.”
As the Emperor took his exit, Chione was rather confused. What kind of parent would not wish for their child's happiness? Even her parents, who were not rich by any monetary standards, gave her a lovely and happy childhood. Dismissing the thought, Chione returned to the inner sanctum of her greenhouse to check on the sprouts of the kaji lilies. She hoped the flowers would bloom soon so she could present the plant to Mally as a gift.
~
About a month in, something miraculous occurred. Silvia had stopped openly antagonizing her sister in law. And Chione received the first evidence that she was pregnant. When the news reached the other members of the royal family, there was a thick air of joy, but also tension. The birth of a new line was a momentous occasion, but one that always had a hint of vulnerability around it. The prince did not hesitate in taking precautions. "Chione. I won't have any arguments. You're going to have a bodyguard wherever you go."
Over the moon at the news, Chione was determined to be the best mother possible. She was excited for the arrival of the twins. Already, she had set to designing a nursery and collecting adorable baby clothes. Often, she wondered whether her children would have horns or a tail like her, or perhaps favor their father more in inheritance.
Yet, the pregnancy had not been easy. Chione had extreme morning sickness, confined to her chambers due to the fatigue and nausea, but luckily it had passed by the time the first trimester concluded. The doctors hounded her, but the Naran had lost her temper at several of them, hating to be touched by the foreign hands. After one doctor nearly lost his hand, Mally had at least ordered the physicians to leave her be for the time being. The arrival of the second trimester promised an easier storm to weather.
Though, Chione was a little concerned. Thus far, there was barely any bump visible. She had heard tales of many Naran women only showing evidence of pregnancy in the last trimester, so she tried not to fret over the thought too much. For now, Chione was spending time outside with Mally, enjoying the fresh air. The ten guards with them, however, she thought was a bit of overkill. If it made Mally feel better, Chione supposed she could tolerate their presence.
But the promise of a constant babysitter was a bit of an irritation.
"My darling, are you sure it is necessary?" Chione gently ran her fingers through his hair as he used her lap as a pillow. Both were enjoying the breeze and clear sky, the perfect day for a romantic picnic... despite extra company. "I will not argue with you, but we are in the palace. Surely it is quite safe here?"
"You never know my dear. There are certain political families that would love nothing more than to prove themselves our superiors and take the throne from us. While you are pregnant, you will be more vulnerable than usual." Malakath held his head, feeling a slight migraine. "I will not risk your health or the future of our line."
Malakath smiled slyly. “My dear. As much as I would love to, nothing would get done. So no, it will fall to someone else. I’ve trusted Bellum to find a suitable person to be at your side.”
Entering a doorway to a dojo, the captain gave a bow. “Princess Chione. Prince Malakath. Welcome.”
"Oh, what a shame, how would the palace survive without you?" Chione teased her husband lightly when he smirked at her. "While I understand, I cannot say I'm a bit disappointed. I am, after all, the perfect excuse to pull you away from your duties."
As Mally led her to a dojo, Chione admired the lovely structure. There were no such places in her homeland. All of the fighting was in the gladiator rings or 'the pits' as her people referred to the area. Once Bellum greeted both of them, Chione gave the captain a smile.
She said warmly, "How are you fairing, Bellum? Has Mally granted you the rank of admiral like I've asked him to do so?" Chione was not above some goodhearted banter with her husband, resting her head on his shoulder. "Do remember that you promised when the title was granted, I'd be the first to get a tour of your lovely ship."
"I did. And that will come soon. But first, business. I would like to introduce you to Zarun Thel. First Lady of House Thel, and your protector."
Malakath was completely surprised when he saw an Ocho step forward. The civil war had reduced their numbers to- well to be blunt, Malakath thought his blood family were the only ones left. She was certainly beautiful, and he had no doubt that she would be an excellent fighter. The woman, garbed in an unique onyx black armour with red striping among the shoulders gave a firm bow.
"Princess Chione. It is my honour to serve as your bodyguard."
"It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Zarun." Chione was surprised to see an Ocho as well. She was expecting a Skurge at most, but this was far from her expectations. Not to mention, the woman was absolutely stunning. "I do hope we will be fast friends."
"Likewise ma'am." Zarun shook her hand by the forearm in a firm handshake. "I won't let you, or Prince Malakath, down."
Bellum nodded. "Lady Zarun will be your sword and shield. I'm sure you won't be disappointed."
"If you have Bellum's vote of confidence, then you have mine." Chione returned the handshake, being mindful of her claws. "I thank you for taking this job."
Malakath eyes went up and down the other Ocho. She was beautiful; incredibly so. Her eyes had a steep confidence, her hair was cut sharp, and her lips were flowerily. Above all else she smelled like-
Shaking his head, the prince felt his breath hitch. No. Why were these thoughts coming to him? He had mated with his wife. He was bound to her. He should not even be physically capable of feeling this way. Rather silent, he eyed both women back and forth. Finally, he gestured for Bellum to come forward. "Captain, walk with me. We shall leave the two women to... get to know one another while we discuss our project."
"As you wish my lord. Princess. Commander. I wish you both well."
"Tell me, Lady Zarun, I'm curious, what do you know of the Naran culture?" Chione asked as she motioned for the bodyguard to take a seat on a pillow next to the tea table. "I'd be rather happy to answer your questions if you have any."
“Naran? I was only given cliff notes. I know that you come from a desert across the sea, you have abnormal physical strength, and you have a cultural taste for jewelry. I must say that your Hasai is rather good.”
"My people are from Al-Daida," Chione clarified for Zarun with a soft smile. "We are supposedly the descendants of Aliyah, the sorceress, and her lover, the great drake of the desert, Daidan." She offered her bodyguard a cup of tea. The leaves were from the variety of plants from her greenhouse. It was soothing and calming. "Indeed, we are strong, and yes, I do appreciate fine jewelry, but there is certainly more to me than such trivial little things."
She encouraged Zarun, "Ask me your questions and I'll ask you a few in return. It is nice to get to know a friend in such a way."
"Very well." Zarun seemed to be deep in thought, then answered honestly. "Your horns. Can you use them in battle? Do you know magic if you are a descendant of a sorceress?"
"Of course!" Chione replied enthusiastically. It was refreshing to have someone else to talk to besides her husband or a servant. She took the tip of her finger and poked her sharp horn. "Naran horns are incredibly resilient. If broken, they grow back. Very useful to use to pierce or gorge." She then gave a slight shake of her head, "Some Narans are blessed with magical talent, while others possess strength. I, unfortunately, do not have magic to use, yet I was blessed in other ways." She motioned to the tea that was in the pot. "I was able to implement the usage of my ancestor's green thumb. She turned the desert into an oasis for us."
"You can manipulate plant life with magic? That sounds beautiful. Part of me is glad you fit so well in the Empire then."
"It's not a very flashy type of magic, but at least I can ensure that the Empire will never be hungry." Chione mused, "Though, here of late, I feel very drained by the pregnancy. I must admit, it's a bit out of sorts for me to lack such energy."
"I am more than willing to lend a hand when need be." The bodyguard walked around with the princess, keeping a steady pace. "I believe it's your turn for questions?"
"I have to admit, you are an Ocho," Chione asked Zarun, rather bluntly, but figured there was no reason to sugarcoat things. "I thought Ocho were all part of the royal family. Why are you working as my bodyguard?"
There was a little bit of regret on Zarun's face, but she kept her tone steady. "When the Waku went to war with the royal family, Emperor Chillowack called upon all the royal houses for support. Fighting the Waku was a struggle on its own. Fighting the dragons, it became a long term slaughter. Because the Emperor held the Crown of Exodrum, he was the most powerful Ocho among us, so we followed any order he laid out with obedience. Even if it meant dying with honour. And that, ultimately, is what occurred."
Reaching a balcony, Zarun pointed out the countryside in the distance next to the volcano. "Out there, in the distant plains. That's where my family laid down their lives fighting two dragons. We were allowed to command armies of Skurge and Romtan, but for my family, for the rest of the Ocho, honour dictated that we lead by example. That put us right in front of all the carnage. When all the fighting was done, I was one of the last remaining Ocho outside of the royal family. Certainly the last of mine. Now only a handful of families remain."
"Oh..." Chione did not realize there were other Ocho families besides her husband's. There was still a lot left for her to learn. The pain in Zarun's voice was evident. Loss was a wound which never went away, even with the passing of time. The pain only became easier to deal with as the years passed. "I'm sorry for the loss of your family."
The Nara frowned, and then gave Zarun's hand a soft pat as a gesture of comfort. "I know what it is like to lose someone you love. My parents have been gone for a few years, but I still miss them." She gave a brief pause and then stated, "I hope you find someone one day that makes you as happy as Mally makes me. Then, you can have your own family again. No, it won't be the same, but still..." Chione gave a small smile. "It will be less lonely for sure."
The Ocho smiled, feeling a sense of comradery between herself and the princess. "Indeed. I take it you've enjoyed your time here in the Empire so far?"
"The Empire is very different from Al-Daidan, but I have enjoyed my time here." Chione supposed that was a half truth. She was enjoying her time here, but felt so... alienated. There was hardly anyone here who she could consider a true friend. "It'd be nice if I could... go outside of the palace." The Naran gave a defeated sigh, "Mally is insistent that I remain within the walls for my safety, stating he does not know how the people will react to me."
"Well... you're safe with me. If the prince's first concern is safety, then that matter is settled. I can take you to see the countryside."
"Really?!" Chione lit up like fireworks in the sky, grasping both of Zarun's hands in excitement. She had her hopes up now. Even her tail wagged from the thought of visiting the lush countryside with so many new plants. "There's so many new plants I've yet to gather for my garden! I mean, of course, Mally told me he'd have them delivered here, but I want to see them in their natural environment! It might give me the opportunity to make more hybrids!"
"We can ride a Manticore. Come on, you're going to love the sights." Grabbing her hand, the Ocho was quick to lead the Nara down through the palace, down every hall to the monster's stables. Here, in zoo-like cages, various monsters were lying about. An incredibly large Wyvern rested, a few Basilisk's slithered in coils, some Griffins were putting together a nest, and finally, there was the Manticore.
Opening the cage, Zarun let out a whistle. "Myhrra, come!"
From the shadows of the cave corner, a large beast walked forward with heavy paws. The monster had the body of a lion, but on its rear was a massive scorpion-like tail with a rounded spiked tail. It had leathery wings upon its back, and its face was like a man with the main and jaws of a lion. Seeing Chione, it smiled with hunger. It seemed Zarun was on this behaviour right away, flicking fire at its feet.
"No! She is not food! This is Princess Chione. She's going to be a friend."
"A what now?" Chione was barely able to inquire what the hell a manticore was before being dragged by Zarun to the stables. This was new. She had never seen this part of the palace before. There were so many beasts in here that were new to her. Of course, Chione was a bit biased, since in her opinion, there was nothing which could compare to the majestic sand rays of her homeland. When the beasts licked its lips, Chione's tail stood on end for a moment, before flicking in warning. She would fight if necessary, though, thankfully, Zarun calmed her creature. "Are all your pets so bloodthirsty?"
“All the best creatures are.” The way Zarun petted the main of the creature made it almost seem docile, the way it slapped its foot up and down in happiness. Almost wasn’t good enough when it still had maddening eyes staring at Chione, yet it didn’t make any moves. Grabbing a saddle, the Ocho attached it to her pet, then instructed Chione to climb aboard the back. It was about the size of a horse, so just about enough room to fit together. “She won’t bite. Unless I command it~”
"If she bites, I bite back. Just warning you." Chione climbed up on the saddle, the feeling rather foreign. In Al-Daida, she rode the sand rays, camels, and every other mount without such equipment. She was curious as to why the Hasai used such a thing for their pets. "We do not have these in Al-Daida."
“Manticore are rare, even in the empire, so I’m not surprised. Myhrra here I found as a kitten. Trained her to be my companion in battle. Other Ocho gravitated to beasts like griffins, basilisks, or even minotaurs. Since they’re all mostly dead, I’d say I chose wisely. Come on Myhrra, show the princess what you can do.”
With a roar that sounded more like a woman screaming than a cat, the Manticore spread its leathery wings, then with a few paces of running forward took off into the air. Soon enough, the pair was flying over the walls of the castle.
As soon as the manticore took off into the air, Chione was laughing in absolute delight. This reminded her of the flights on the sand rays. It was not as smooth as the ancient rulers of the desert, but it was still wonderful to experience the wind on her face again. It made the kingdom feel a little less foreign, and more like home.
With a slap of the reins, Zarun had her beast take them down with a dive towards the hillsides. Carefully, they flew over rice farmers, going into the lush countryside. “That’s good you’re taking this so well.”
"In my homeland, there are sand rays that are larger than the palace." Chione told Zarun with her arms wide for emphasis. "I miss riding on them. Miss seeing them. Their calls were like music echoing across the desert."
“That sounds beautiful Princess. I can’t say we have anything like that. Least, not since the dragons.”
"I was rather saddened when Mally told me there were no more dragons here," Chione gave a small sigh. "I was hoping to see one. Yet, he told me the dragons and the Waku were evil."
“Corrupted is more accurate. They weren’t always that way. We used to have a powerful and peaceful relationship with the dragons, and the Waku were some of the greatest in our empire. But greed and pride spread through them. There are some beasts that are similar, like Wyverns. Look like dragons from foreign lands, but less intelligent and smaller. There’s also the Krayt. But we avoid them where we can, unless it’s to hunt.”
"It is a sad day when all an individual cares about is power and cannot see what is enough around them." Chione looked out over the farmland, her tail flicking in excitement. "There's so many beautiful plants here. Thank you, for bringing me to see all this. I really appre---um..." She paused, noting that quite a few Hasai were staring at her. "... do I really look that odd?"
"Oh, the Hasai used to have horns and a tail?" Chione did not know that piece of history. Taking Zarun's hand, she was so eager to explore, but knew better than to go running off into the countryside. Malakath had warned her that not everyone was friendly. "I don't want to interrupt their day. I know they have work to do."
Zarun nodded to Chione before addressing the crowd. “Your princess demands you carry on your tasks! We are merely observing. Dismiss your gazes!”
The farmers did as they were told, going back to their livelihoods.
"... that's... effective?" Chione could not believe how fast the people returned to their jobs. "I mean, I don't want to startle them, I just want to be... well... nosy." She admitted sheepishly, "For lack of a better word, I'm curious."
“You can travel wherever you wish. This is your land to observe. You are royalty, and even if you are not originally of these lands, you carry within you holy blood. Your respect does not need to be earned, it is cemented upon you already.”
"While I appreciate all the given respect, I don't want to be..." Chione had to think for a moment, translating in her head. "Perceived as a tyrant. I don't want the people to fear me, or think I'm merely a trophy for Mally. I want them to know me for me."
Zarun observed Chione rather curiously, a raised brow at her thinking. “That’s rather noble of you. If you feel that way, observe. See what you can do to give back to the citizenship. Or perhaps find something worthy of fighting.”
"Mally rarely addresses the topic of his people," Chione then asked Zarun, looking around the area. "What do they need? I might not be able to do much, but I will try."
Zarun gestured to the landscape, at all the people around them, and when she spoke, she did so with reverence. “What do they need? Nothing but to keep the machine that is the Kikai Empire running. As the workers of our land, they keep up all the happiness everyone could ever need. As leaders, those who are of royalty and chosen might hold power as both a weapon but also a tool. It’s up to us to share that power with the people. You want to stand out? Give them a project. After the civil war, much of our beautiful land was scorched. Perhaps you can share techniques or create inventions our people can use?”
Chione wanted to argue that people needed more than a job to feel happiness. Love, friends, stability, food, there was so much she could say a person needed. Yet, a fulfilling purpose was different as well. Taking a look over the land, the Nara thought for a minute. Just because the land was scorched did not mean nothing could grow.
"... do they need more food?" Chione asked Zarun. "I know of very resilient plants that will grow in any type of soil. Of course, it will need some treatment, but I have an idea of what will work." She pointed with her finger, "And spilt the water flow to run in-between the fields instead of having the farmers having to go get it. Irrigation is important."
Zarun smiled at the idea Chione crafted. “It will be done. Would you like to see the forest fauna for inspection?”
"Yes, please!" Chione started to follow Zarun, but stopped, noting some of the farmers lacked the proper equipment. "... and safety needs to be first and foremost. I see a lot of these people do not even have gloves. Some plants are poisonous or could cause a bad reaction. Please make note I want the people to have the appropriate gloves, clothing wear, and boots. Boots are important when working with such heavy farming tools."
“I’ll make a note in my report, princess.”
It only took a couple minutes of flight until the pair found themselves going through the forest line. Landing on the road, Zarun made sure to look around first before letting Chione off the Manticore. “You can look around, but don’t walk too far away.”
The forest was oddly quiet for a place of nature. Chione was quietly observing the different types of plants. Though, one certainly caught her eye. It seemed to be... watching her? It moved as she moved. Curious, she flicked her tail one way and then the other, watching the plant mimic her movements.
"Zarun," Chione called to her bodyguard. "What is this? It... copies me."
“Ah, that’s the Dabara Bush. It can sense movement next to it. In a bid to not be eaten, it follows the movement next to it to scare off animals. We have used it as a detection mechanism against pests in times of war. As long as you aren’t five feet in front of it, it won’t move.” Carefully, Zarun drew her sword. “The trick, however, is sometimes they can grow alongside Deku Baba. I’m sure you’re aware of the man eating plants?”
"The only man eating plant I know is extremely rare called a Jawstalk Mantrap," Chione told Zarun as bent down to observe the Dabara Bush with her tail thudding against the ground in excitement. "Grows to extraordinary lengths and can swallow a man whole. I only save a preserved one, once." She then said, "We can use these in the fields to keep away flies and other pests. They don't feed on other plants, right? So it can be a symbiotic relationship!" She suggested excitedly, "Minus the Deku Baba, of course."
“That would be ideal. Grab some seeds, I just need to feed Myhrra. She gets antsy if she doesn’t eat every 7 hours.”
"Very well," Chione then asked Zarun, "Does your manticore eat fruit? I saw some berry bushes along the way."
“Alas, only meat.” Grabbing a slab of chicken from a sack, the Ocho tossed it in the air. The Manticore rolled its tongue over its teeth, then snatched it with one gulp.
"As long as it doesn't develop a taste for Naran flesh, I'm good." Chione then asked, "... can I pet her?"
“You may. Just don’t show any regret with fear. It’s like blood for a shark.”
The manticore waited, its spiky tail resting as it smiled that monstrous grin.
Chione approached the beast. It was dangerous, that was for sure. Not to show any fear, right? She stepped closer, hearing a small, rumbling growl. So, Chione did the only thing she knew to do, and growled right back, giving the manticore a harsh pat on the withers.
"Don't test me, poofy," Chione told the manticore sternly, chiding it. "I'm nauseous all the time, I want to eat until I puke, my feet are swollen, and my boobs are huge. Go on, test me and see what happens. I dare you. I'll rip out a fang and feed it to you. I'm small, but I can still toss around your emperor like a rag doll."
The Manticore paused, tilting its head. As it seemed like it was about to let Chione pet her, it raised its tail over its head and fired off three metal spikes. Behind the princess, a man who was charging with a blade let out a death rattle as his chest was filled with the projectiles. Before he could even fall to the ground, the smiling Manticore leaped over Chione to swallow the would be assassin whole.
Zarun was quick to draw her katana, watching as other figures emerged from the undergrowth. “Princess, stay close!”
A number of red skinned men brandishing weapons strode forward. The hatred in their eyes was clear. “For our fallen brothers and sisters! For our children! Die!!!”
______________________________________________________________
Written with @ridersoftheapocalypse, prequel to War of Fire.
A week went by with Malakath healing his injured body. He took his medicine for the first few days, then added workouts, physically getting in shape again. Soon he’d have to practice his pyro kinesis again.
Chione had been keeping a close eye on Mally. On the following day, when she had found him trying to do push ups with an injured arm, she had chided him severely, and somehow managed to convince him to wait another day. The second day, there was no stopping him, so Chione sighed exasperatedly and informed him if he made it worse, she was not fixing his arm again. Yet, it was an empty threat. The third day, Mally seemed like he was bored and wanted something to do. Chione put him to work, showing him how to pull weeds out of her garden. Mally had balked at first, scowling and giving a small rant in his own language. She did not relent and thrust the basket into his hands, insisting he pull weeds if he wanted something to do. He sulked at first, but then pulled up the weeds with her.
Half the week had passed. The fourth day, Chione had found him looking through some of her books. She did not have many, most were about plants, but a few were on Naran culture. When Mally would point to a figure, she would give him the word in her tongue. He seemed especially interested with the pages about Daidan Drakes, eagerly pointing to the giant reptiles and then a map. Chione supposed he wanted to know where the drakes lived. The botanist could not help but laugh at his boy-like wonder over the drakes, but there was no chance she was pointing out where the reptiles lived on the map. A drake could swallow him whole! Drakes were not pets. The fifth day, Chione dragged Melly into the kitchen with her. She was trying to show him how to make fresh bread. He stood there, confused, until she showed him to beat and knead the dough. Once again, her efforts were met with a bit of protests, until she pointed sharply at the dough. Yet, he seemed to enjoy beating the dough like it was a punching bag. After the sweet bread came out of the brick oven, Chione offered him a piece with homemade jam. She wondered if he ever had jelly bun before as fast as he ate the treat. It was rather cute.
The sixth day was a bit different. Mally kept trying to walk to the river, and for a moment, Chione thought he would return to Nuabi's homeland under the water. Yet, it seemed he just wanted to take a bath. She had tried to keep him as clean as possible, but ultimately, she understood the desire to have a relaxing bath. When he suddenly stripped with intention to show off his body, Mally had stood there, almost like he was a preening peacock in the Patriarch's Palace. Chione was no stranger to a male's body and sat there on the bank, waiting for him. Yet, Mally was not having that. No, he had splashed her with the water, earning an outraged squeal from the botanist, before he tried to drag her into the river. Chione ended up dunking him under the water and scowling since her clothes and hair were soaked. Later, the smug man kept pointing to his hair and holding out a comb to Chione. Grumbling, the Nara took the comb and worked out the tangles in his hair before braiding it, calling him an insufferable brat the entire time, saying he was lucky he was still healing.
Now, Mally was almost healed. It was shocking to see his arm recover from being broken so fast, but then again, she assumed water sprite biology was different than botanist. As Mally proceeded to test his body's strength again, Chione sat on a bench nearby and sliced the fresh mangoes from the trees she grew.
Malakath had enjoyed some of his time here. Whole house work was normally beneath him, it did help him gain his strength back. More so, he was becoming more and more enamoured with Chione. She was a fine specimen of a woman in his eyes. Yet, he was still frustrated by a few things. First off, no one had seemingly come to find him. Yes, they were on foreign lands to hunt down Waku that spread out like weed's roots, but he was a prince. He was sure his father was frantic in finding him. Or at the very least his sister.
But perhaps that was the point. Was his defeat a weakness they couldn’t stomach? Perhaps his twin would take advantage of that to have the throne for herself.
Even if his family wasn’t looking, what about the army? Not knowing this foreign land wasn’t an excuse. They should have at least followed the river.
Then there was the language barrier between himself and Chione. All this care and attention and he couldn’t even hold a conversation. Sure they had communicated well with physical gestures and common sense, but Malakath wanted to speak to her openly. Although, it did, for now, have one advantage. He could speak plainly to her about anything with a straight face and he was sure she didn’t understand.
Grabbing the mango, he bit a large chunk of it. “I wonder if your lips are sweeter than this fruit.”
"Hungry again? I never knew Nuabi's children could have such appetites." Chione watched as he eagerly ate the mango. Peeling another, the botanist was usually careful with the knife as she sectioned the fruit into pieces. Yet, this time, her grip slipped from the juices and she managed to cut her index finger. Hissing softly, Chione shook her hand and then noticed the blood. "Damn it."
Malakath watched the blood closely. He found himself frowning at her pain. Wait, why should he care? He was a prince. Yet he did. Walking forward, he grabbed her hand, then held her finger.
“Hold still.”
Focusing intently, he allowed his fire to gently laser in from his palm into the cut. There was a warmth from a source she couldn’t see, but a bright yellow glow like the sun came out from his clenched hand. When he was done, he let go and her finger had stopped bleeding.
It looked as if her finger had been gently cartelized. Malakath let out a breath once he was done. “I believe that should suffice.”
"What are you doing?" Chione asked as he took her hand in his, inspecting her cut finger. She noted him frowning and staring at the blood. A small cut like this was not enough to maim her. Mally was acting as if she was terribly injured. It was rather endearing. "I'll be okay, it's just a cut---what?!"
The Naran woman was shocked when she felt his touch grow warm. The yellow radiating from his touch was unexpected. Yet, she did not pull away, too stunned to do so. As Mally released her hand, Chione did not realize he had fire magic, but rather thought it was some sort of healing technique. Her flesh looked slightly different around the cut, but it did not hurt. Perhaps this was why he could not heal himself, he was too weak, but now, his power had returned?
Blinking, Chione looked at her finger, curious, "How did you do that?"
“I am a prince. A lord of fire.” Malakath saw her point at her finger and assumed she wanted an explanation. He would reveal himself fully, he felt the power coming back to him. “Behold and witness me.”
Stepping back, he raised both hands into the air. Breathing the hot air around him and feeling the heat of the sun, he channeled and showed off an incredible display of fire. Rising high into the clouds, a tower of fire burned, a beacon of his power. With some alterations, he had it spread out to look like a Phoenix. Fitting, seeing he felt reborn.
Whoever Mally was, he most certainly was not a child of Nuabi, the water goddess. Startled, Chione stood up from her bench and backed away from the man, dropping her basket of fruit and peeling knife. What was this?! Was he a demigod? A fallen deity? A powerful magician? Answers eluded Chione for now, but she was more focused on not being turned into a pile of ash. While Mally had not threatened her before, she could not help but be cautious now.
Malakath stopped his display, all the flames dissipating. When he saw her reaction, he frowned. Was she afraid? She should be in awe! Stepping forward, he held out a hand. “You have nothing to fear from me.”
Chione glanced at him, and then at his hand. The botanist still felt a little unsure. Though, she supposed logic would argue if he wanted to hurt her with such fire, Mally could have potentially done so earlier. Slowly, Chione extended her hand to take his, still cautious, but also curious. She looked at his palm and then turned it over to look at the top of his hand. Where did the fire come from? Did he just... summon it from nowhere? While the Nara was initially a little frightened, her inquisitiveness was also getting the best of her. If this man was not a child of Nuabi... what was he?
"What are you?" Chione knew he could not understand her, but still voiced her questions. "... who are you?" Surely someone with such power was of great importance. Even so, what force could have washed him up at her doorstep in such a terrible state? "Are you a child of Atanna? Part of the blazing sun?"
He held her hand, another reaching to hold her by her shoulder. “I’m sure you’re fascinated by me. How I wish I could speak to you.”
Malakath felt his groin area burn looking at her. She was gorgeous and it was becoming harder and harder for him to deny. “In some ways it’s been nice the way you‘ve treated me without knowing who I am. There’s an honesty in that. But I’m selfish I suppose. I want you to know who I am. I want to know more about you.”
Was Mally trying to assure her with his hand upon her shoulder? It was a simple gesture, but a sweet one from such a powerful man. Chione gave Mally a soft smile as he spoke, not understanding, but figuring there were words of reassurance. Perhaps she could obtain a partial answer in regards to his fire magic.
"Atanna?" Chione pointed to the sun, trying to mimic being hot by waving her face. "You're a child of the sun? The fire in the sky?"
“Atanna?” Was that a god? He pointed to the sun and all around him. “My people were crafted by a God called Exodrum. The Father of Fire and Power. I am an avatar of power.” He pointed at himself. “I am a Hasai.”
"Ha... sa... e?" Chione had never heard of such a name before. How could clarify the meaning? Was it the name of his people? Or the name of his divine parents? She thought for a moment, then spoke. "Nara." She gestured to herself, making sure to note her horns and tail for emphasis, and then to him. "Hasai?"
At last. He had a name for her people. Assuming she wasn't a unique one of a kind. His hand went down her shoulder to around her waist. With his other hand, he gestured towards her horns. "A Nara. Hasai don't have horns. May I feel them? I'm curious by the texture."
"Nara, yes." It appeared Mally understood what she was trying to insinuate. "We are the descendants of Daidan, the first drake to rule the desert and his lover, the sorceress, Aliyah."
The sudden touch on her hip nearly caused her to jump. Chione was not expecting him to touch her so casually. Being a... Hasai, Mally left no thoughts to personal boundaries, did he? Maybe this was normal in his culture. Then once more, the man motioned to her horns and Chione turned slightly red. This was going to be harder to explain.
She tried her best, "Sensitive. Um..." Chione remembered how he grabbed her tail. She motioned to her tail, then to her horns with a bit of a flustered face. "Sensitive. Like my tail, okay?"
Was she blushing? Malakath felt a sense of pride. Of course she was. He was a specimen of his man and he would be well suited and cared for in his hands. Grinning like a scoundrel, he put on a polite face. "I'll be careful."
Gently, his hand went to her horn.
"Rrrrrrrrhhhhrrrrhnnnmmm." Chione could not suppress the purr rumbling up from her throat when Mally suddenly touched her curved horn. It was almost an automatic reaction from the pleasurable sensation. Snapping back to her senses, a shade the color of blood flooded her cheeks as she removed Mally's hand from her horn. "I told you my horns are sensitive, okay?"
Malakath was stunned by the *noise* that came out of her. All the bravado sucked out of him. Stepping back, he gulped down that insecurity. He then turned side ways, hoping she wouldn’t know his growing ‘Royal Rod’. “That was some reaction.”
"Oh, I'm not growling at you!" Chione noticed his surprised expression, and apologized. "It's just... a Nara's horns and tail are very sensitive, okay? It's an... erogenous zone." She wanted to smack herself. Sighing, the flustered botanist ran a hand down her face, hiding the blush. "I'm trying to explain this to you and you can't even understand me."
Taking a few breaths to calm himself down, he pointed to the outside world. “I can walk. I want you to show me where I am. Can you do that?”
"... you want to walk around?" Chione was grateful he was changing the subject per se. "Sure, we can do that."
Malakath strode out towards the smell of the river, not having a worry in the world.
"Is there something you want to see here?" Chione asked, noting him looking out over the river. "Be careful. I don't want to have to fish you out of the water again."
Malakath looked around, trying to see if there were any high peaks he could look from. “There has to be other Hasai around. I’m sure of it.”
"Are you looking for someone?" Chione noticed him glancing about the landscape. Was he trying to... figure out where he was? Maybe he did not know. She did live on the outskirts of the kingdom's capital. Maybe if she showed him on a map, he would have a better idea of where he was. "Here," Chione always took a map with her when gathering plants. It was easier to mark where spots were for gathering Kamazu plants or others for selling at the market. Opening her map, the Nara pointed to the river upon it. "Aaru. Aaru River."
Map seemed to be the size of the country. Or at least the territory. He gestured his arms out to have a larger size. “I need bigger.”
"A world map?" Chione noticed the gesture of his arms indicating he wanted a larger view. "I'm sorry. I don't think I have one, but..." She picked up a stick and started to draw in the mud from the riverbank. Firstly, Chione outlined the shape of Al-Daidan. Then, she etched Danjur. After that, she drew the borders which met her home of Omisha and Malus. Labrynna and Hyrule were last. Though, the writing was in her language. So, Chione did her best to clarify for Mally. "Al-Daida. Omisha. Malus. Danjur. Labrynna. Hyrule."
Malakath watched closely. He had names now for every country on the continent! So much territory! So much land outside the empire. And there it was. He pointed to a beach that was right on the border of Omisha and Al-Daida. “This is where we made landfall tracking the traitors. I was able to travel inland, to this jungle top. I must have fallen into the river here, and traveled all the way… here. To you.”
"Oh... here? The Kemet Beach?" Chione recalled the beautiful beaches with black sand. She tried to think of how many days it would take to get to that location from her home. The Nara held up three fingers, hoping he would understand. "Three days."
Three days? Or three weeks. Either way, the prince frowned at the information. Was that by mount? Or by *walking*? The thought disgusted him. Nevertheless, that was his reality. “I suppose we have quite the journey then.”
"Kemet Beach," Chione marked the spot Mally had indicated. She tapped her feet with the stick and imitated walking, following the river. Then once more, she held up three fingers. "Three days by foot."
Though, it begged the question, why did he want to go there? Nonetheless, if Mally deserved to leave, he was free to do so. Chione glanced upward at the sky and noticed the angle of the shadows. It was time to go to the markets! She had to hurry to set up her stall or her customers would be most dissatisfied.
She told Mally, "I need to go to work now. It's time to sell my plants." This would be difficult to explain. Well, it was best to make use of the riverbank's mud while she was here. The Nara jotted a picture of the market, and her selling plants. It was noticeable that the figure was her, due to her curved horns. Then motioned to herself. "I need to go to work."
“You need to help me.” Malakath pointed to himself, then her. He then realized something. Grabbing a stick, he drew a crown in the sand. He then pointed at himself more confidently. “I am royalty. You will be greatly rewarded for your time spent helping me.”
"You... want to see the Patriarch?" Chione blinked at the drawing of a crown, misunderstanding his meaning completely. She drew a Nara with long, angular horns underneath the crown, and gave Mally a look of puzzlement. "Patriarch of the Nara? I doubt he'll see you. He won't see us common folk."
Yes! She was finally clueing into who she was! “Yes! I’m royalty! I’m Prince Malakath! Come on, we can leave now!”
"...?" Chione heard him say his own name and then gesture to the crown. Wait, was he saying he was a noble? Perhaps the Hasai were demigods and lived a mortal life, even with such power. When Mally gestured to the beach again, the realization finally struck Chione of what he wanted. "Wait, you want me," She gestured to herself, "To take you," She then pointed to the spot on her crudely drawn map. "To Kemet Beach?"
The prince nodded his head with a great amount of enthusiasm “Yes! You know the land! You will be my guide!”
Chione busted out laughing at his enthusiasm to travel to Kemet Beach. At his expression of displeasure, the Nara uttered one word with a shake of her head.
"No." Chione shook her hand in dismissal. "No, no way. There's drakes, crocodiles, and venomous snakes along the river and I don't have a boat. There's no way I'm walking there."
Malakath had certainly learned what her word was for ‘no’ over the week. He took her hand again. “I can’t afford to wait. I need to go to my people now. They need me.”
"Crocodiles." Chione etched the reptile in the mud alongside a huge drake. Then, she shook her head once more. This was the only way to get him to understand. He seemed sincere, but she was not taking him into a death trap of a landscape. "Drakes. Not safe."
“I’ve killed Dragons.”
"Are you really that insistent upon going?" Chione sounded exasperated.
This was going to be difficult. She tried to think of a way to get him there without the river. There were sand rays, but that was a long shot. Sand rays were really picky about who they allowed upon their backs to be carried across the desert. Not to mention, sand rays required a token for their efforts. What could she offer?
Touching the jingling adornment one horn, it was all the jewelry Chione had left. Her family was gone. It was just her now. To part with it was nearly an unbearable thought. Sand rays adored shiny trinkets and she was sure it would be accepted. But... if Mally had to go, she could not deny him. After all, with that kind of power, he had to be someone important. Perhaps his Hasai deity would look upon her with favor.
It appeared she would not make it to the market today. The desert was just a short walk away from her own humble abode. Chione silently motioned for Mally to come with her. Returning to her home, she packed him a bag full of food to last the journey. Instead of three days, the sand rays could get him there in one. Once she was finished, she urged Mally to follow.
Malakath was pleased by this course of action. She was doing the correct thing in helping her. Once she was prepared, he followed her lead. Like it or not, she had part of his safety in her hands.
It was an odd structure to approach. There was a set of stone stairs leading to nowhere in the beginning of the vast desert. Chione stood still for a moment, taking in the surroundings. Then, she whistled as loudly as she could. A few minutes passed, but she waited patiently. It was only when the ground started rumbling horribly that she noted Mally's alarm.
"It's okay! It's okay!" Chione assured him. It was not long before the sand ray rose from the ground with a deafening echo emitting from its mouth. As the massive sand ray urged from the desert, Chione quickly knelt on the stairs to nowhere. Tugging Mally's shirt insistently, she nearly dragged him down as well. Sand rays were noble creatures, back from the times of the ancient nomadic days of her people. It was an incredible creature, larger than most dragons, but docile to most.
The gargantuan sand ray stared at Chione with those black eyes and then at Mally. It was waiting to see who summoned him. Taking off the adornment from her horn, she held it in her upturned palms as an offering with her head slightly bowed. She made sure to speak with the most elegance she could muster.
She asked, "Please, oh guardian of the desert, will you take my friend, Mally, to Kemet Beach? I believe there are some like him there and he wishes to return home. I offer you this trinket, adorned with black opals, as a tribute for his passage."
The sand ray clicked in response, eyeing the horn adornment. Pleased with the offering, the sand ray then extended one of its long whiskers to grasp the jewelry. Then, in a flash of an eye, it had absorbed the minerals from the gold and opal. To the sand rays, precious gems or jewels were a source of energy. Then, the beast lowered its head so Mally could walk onto his body.
Malakath watched in wonder at the creature. As he walked on, he turned to Chione, offering a hand. “Come on. We need to continue forward.”
As Mally extended his hand, Chione gave a sad smile and shook her head. It was rather sweet that he wanted her to come, but she could not. She held up one finger, then pointed to her horn, then to him. The trinket was only good for passage for one.
"I'm sorry," Chione gave a soft wave to him as the sand ray started to move. "But this is where we part ways. If you come back to Al-Daida again, come by to see me. I'll miss your company."
Malakath stared like a reptile, his gaze eying the gem she sacrificed to the creature. Was that what was required? A trinket?
Looking at his hand, the prince pulled off a Ruby ring that had been given to him by his father as a gift for his 18th birthday. He could simply get another one. He walked forward and placed it in her hand. “Use this. Come with me.”
"...?! What? No, no, no, this is yours!" Chione protested, not wanting to sacrifice the ring to the sand ray. If a Hasai was part of a divinity, even a small chance, it would not be right to take such a precious token from him! "I'll have to find a way back. It would be useless for me to go with you---hey!!!"
When Mally yanked her onto the sand ray, she saw the whisker take the brilliant ruby and break down the gem for energy. Well, so much for protesting. The stubborn man just had to get his way, didn't he? Chione gave him a brief look of annoyance before sitting down on the sand ray. She gave the immense beast's head a pat as it rumbled in appreciation. At first, the creature simply shifted through the desert dunes, getting a bit faster and faster... until with a giant flap of its wings, it started to soar through the sky.
Malakath watched in wonder as the creature took off through the sky! It was a marvelous feeling to have the air through his hair and hit his skin. Spreading his arms out, he laughed in triumph. “Yes! I’m king of the world!”
"Seems like you're enjoying your first time on a sand ray." Chione snickered a little at his awe of flying throughout the desert sky. Though, it was not a good idea to stand for too long. Gently, she tugged on his pant leg, indicating he needed to sit. "Brace yourself. When they land to get more speed, it will be bumpy."
Malakath took his seat beside her, his grin looking almost radiant. “Chione. This is magnificent.”
He found himself staring into her eyes, a little longer than normal.
"Ramlah Rayan." Chione patted the sand ray underneath her hand, speaking in her native tongue. It was what Mally heard as she spoke due to the language barrier. She was trying to tell him what the beautiful and majestic sand rays were called. "I loved to watch them in their flocks when I was small. You should wait and see when many of them travel together. Leaping and twirling, playing like kids."
Malakath found himself just liking the sound of her voice. Was soothing, like glass he supposed. He nodded along, eying the way her hair flowed through the wind.
It only took a few hours via sand ray to arrive at the other side of the desert. Kemet Beach had black sand from the nearby volcanic mountains which surrounded the Malus border. It was a lovely landscape, providing rich fertile grounds to the borders of Omisha as well. Stopping at another stairway to nowhere, the sand ray waited patiently while Mally disembarked. Chione soothed the sand ray with a few words of praise, asking it to stay nearby so she could have passage back home.
Stepping off gracefully, Malakath took Chione’s hand. “I suppose thanks are in order.”
"Yes, this is Kemet Beach," Chione assured Mally as she carefully took his hand to steady her steps while dismounting the sand ray. "This is where you wanted to come, right?"
Malakath looked at the sand she pointed out. He had certainly received reports of black sand, but had not seen this area himself. The location his ships made landfall on were full of yellow sand, not black. He walked around, scanning for signs of his people. “There has to be someone nearby…”
Taking a breath, he looked to the sky and raised his hands. Once again, he fired a pillar of fire into the sky. The flames burned brightly and acted as a prime beacon. As his flames fizzled out, he took a deep breath, glancing back at Chione as he took a seat. “I suppose we’ll just have to wait.”
Once more, Chione was amazed by the beautiful display of fire. Yet, she then noticed the crackling underneath Mally's feet. Excited, she tugged at his arm and gestured to the striking glass forming with streaks of colorful sand.
"Look! Look!" Chione bent down to observe the formation of glass, which was speckled with the various colors of black sand. "Isn't it beautiful? This can also happen when lightning strikes sand. It takes its own shape unless molded by careful hands. This is very expensive, all the nobles have a piece."
Looking down, Malakath's eyes widened. Sand meeting fire, of course! For someone of his talents, he could craft whatever he chose! Perhaps, a gift was in order.
Motioning her to step back, he fired a stream of fire at the sand. Carefully, and it took a few attempts, the end result was a necklace made of glass. Picking it up, Malakath could feel that it was fragile as it was dazzling, but it would hold its form as long as it wasn’t dropped. “Here. For you.”
"... you want me to take this?"
Chione carefully took the crafted glass and stared at the marvel of such a fine piece of jewelry. There were no precious gemstones or gold embedded into it, but nevertheless, it was still beautiful. Though, she mistook the purpose of the piece. Chione thought it was a head piece instead of a necklace. So, she took one end and attached it to the left horn and then the right, a small section of the necklace drooping over her forehead. Horn adornments were very popular in Naran culture, as a way to show off and to signal status. The more adornments, the richer the individual.
Malakath watched in wonder as she placed it upon her forehead. She made her own intent behind beauty. “I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone, even a Hasai, as beautiful as you my dear.”
"Thank you for the horn piece," Chione knew that a sign of thanks in Naran culture was to briefly touch heads. Females were usually gentler with approach, rubbing foreheads for a moment or so, while males were more heartier, maybe even a headbutt for those who were close. She did not think it would be a good idea to suddenly do this without knowing his people's customs. The last thing she wanted to do was offend. So, she could only smile as a token of thanks for the time being. "I'll be sure to wear it as often as I can."
Malakath looked around, spotting a good tree that could shelter them from the elements. “I’m going to set up a place for us to camp for the night. It shouldn’t be too long I hope until we see other Hasai.”
Nightfall at Kemet Beach was quite a scene to witness. The setting sun made the black sand sparkle with an iridescent light. Yet, since the beach was in proximity to the desert, the temperature was rather cold. Sitting in front of the fire, Chione really wished she had brought better clothes from her modest home. Then again, she really had not planned on accompanying Mally to Kemet Beach.
Turning the fish, Chione checked to see if the meal was done and then offered the largest one to Mally. When he stared at it, the botanist then took another fish roasting over the fish and eagerly bit into it. The flavor was wonderful.
For a treat, she had gathered a few coconuts from the surrounding palm trees. Now, that had been an amusing event. Mally had been ready to throw a fireball at one of the fruits, but Chione climbed the tree with ease. She was not sure if his sudden strident words had been from concern or surprise. With her strength, it was no feat for her to climb the tree nor to open the coconuts. The Nara simply bashed two of the coconuts to split the fruit in half.
Rubbing her arms, the Nara inched slightly closer to the fire. While she could tolerate extreme temperatures from the desert, the cold at night was not exactly kind.
Malakath was doing his best to not visibly shiver from the cold. His homeland didn’t have cold nights like these, so frigid and cold. Yet he would not look weak in front of Chione.
He kept the fire going, making it blaze bright with a snap of his fingers every once in a while. Looking to the Nara, Malakath flexed a smile. “It’s amazing you live in a country with cold nights like these.”
"Thank you for stoking the fire again," Chione offered Mally another fish and piece of the coconut. "At least the trees block a bit of the wind."
Malakath looked around, staring up at the stars. He liked to imagine he could feel the heat, even with them so far away. Scooting closer to Chione, the Ocho scratched his chin. "I wonder how much your people would be open to becoming part of the empire."
Chione noticed Mally staring at the sky. Was he looking at the constellations? Taking a small piece of driftwood, the Nara staring outline some of the stars. Then, she connected the stars to show the various constellations in the sky.
"Daiden the Drake. Aliyah the Sorceress." Chione named each for Mally. "Amek, the Mother of All. Temsah the Great Jaws of the River."
Was she pointing out constellations? Malakath supposed he could do the same. He pointed upwards, pointing at other stars. "Ghidorat, the Great Destroyer. Mothberra, the Cosmic Flame. Both in tandem, flying in each other's path."
Gently, his free hand reached out to grab hers.
"My father was an astronomer, and my mother sold flowers." Chione knew he could not understand her, but it still felt nice to talk. "He once gave my mother a piece of a fallen star as a gift. We buried her with it. Then I buried him with the piece of her horn." It made her sad to think of her parents. "I'm their only child, so... I miss them. But sometimes, when I look at the sky, I think they're still there. Watching from the heavens."
When Mally took her hand, Chione gave it a soft squeeze.
Malakath looked to see her expression soften. Her eyes seemed different, filled with remembrance. Something lost perhaps? When she squeezed back, he spoke gently to her. “I wish you would come with me. I know that every motion you’ve made has been one of kindness to help me, yet you seem content staying here. I could provide so much more for you.”
"It'd be nice if we could understand each other," Chione laid back on the leaves she had gathered earlier to use as bedding. "Maybe one day. Come, you need to rest." She patted the spot beside her. "Let's sleep."
Malakath eyed the spot beside her. Walking over and lying down, he took a breath and waited for her to lie beside him.
"I hope you sleep well." Chione slept curled up, with her knees to her chest. Most Naras slept this way to conserve heat at night. It was not long before she was snoozing peacefully.
Malakath watched her slowly shiver. She shouldn’t have had to be like this. Carefully, he wrapped his arm around her, providing body heat to the Nara.
“You’ll be okay.”
The early morning sunrise caused Chione to stir lightly. She did not want to get up yet, even though there was work to be done. Her herbs and flowers needed to be watered and weeds needed to be pulled. True, she did miss market day, but the botanist could always sell some goods to the local apothecary. Comfortable, Chione purred slightly at the warmth, not wanting to move, and snuggled further into the source. In her half-asleep mind, she had forgotten about being at Kemet Beach.
Malakath was in deep sleep, perfectly content as he rested. His body had naturally spooned Chione, holding her closely, his arm still comfortably around her.
Talking. Who was talking? Chione grumbled softly and started to blink open her sleepy eyes... when she saw men with weapons in front of the extinguished campfire. Alarmed, the Nara jumped to her feet, nearly tripping over Mally in the process. These men resembled Mally's race, but were a different color. When they brandished their weapons at her, Chione hissed, on edge at their sudden appearance. What did they want?!
One of them stepped forward, grabbing Chione by the foot and dragging her away. As she hissed and roared in defiance, the albino skinned soldiers pressed an ax to her throat.
Just as another raised a blade to strike her down, he was suddenly kicked away by Malakath.
“Away you fools!!! I command it! Lay a hand on her and you won’t see another sun!”
The other soldiers were quick to obey, fast to back away from the Nara. Once he felt that they were going to stay in line, Malakath walked over to her, helping her up on her feet. “Are you okay?”
Chione yowled when one of the guards dragged her, kicking him in the balls. When the other suddenly put the weapon to her throat, she froze, leaning her head back in the sand as far as she could away from the blade. Had she come all this way to die?! As Mally saved her from being hacked to pieces, Chione was still on edge, her tail spiked and her eyes narrowed. These men seemed to listen to Mally, but she did not trust them not to hurt her. Taking his hand, Chione got to her feet, and peeked over at the intruders, standing very close to Mally. It was obvious the Nara was frightened. Her tail curled around his leg tightly to prevent him from running off as she tried not to tremble.
"Soldiers. They're my soldiers." Malakath held her shoulders, rubbing them to calm her down. Bloody Skurge. Loyal Hasai, perhaps to a fault. He turned his gaze back to them. "And I'll ram my fist through the face of any who dare harm her."
"And who is she, that she's so important?"
The prince turned his gaze to who would dare speak in such a term. His eyes widened when another Ocho rode towards him on the back of a Griffon. "Sister?"
The Hasai Princess had green skin like her brother, except her hair was black with white streaks. Unlike her brother, she was adorned in fully battle armour, with arm bands that had emeralds in them. Her mount stared daggers at Malakath and Chione, ready to strike if given the command.
"Indeed. I must say I'm... happy, to see that you are alive, Malakath."
The prince cleared his throat, and stood up straight. Sure she was. She had a duty to look for him and bring him back home, but if he had died on this journey, that would only help her own plans as future Empress. "It is good to see family."
Turning to Chione, the prince gestured to his sister. "Chione. This is Princess Silvia. My twin sister." The prince made a motion that he and her were bonded together. "Silvia, this is Chione. She is a local that helped save my life and nursed me back to health. I would be greatly upset if anything happened to her."
Mally was trying to soothe her, Chione understood this. His words had a reassuring tone. Yet, Chione was still quite spooked from the incident. While her tension eased slightly, she stayed glued to Mally's side, eying the guards with disdain. When the woman on the griffon approached, Chione noticed the similarities between her and Mally. The beast did not seem happy nor did the lady. Who was she? Was this woman his family?
As Mally gestured to the woman and then himself, Chione hesitantly leaned forward a little and gave a few sniffs. Yes, his scent was similar to hers. The two had to be siblings. Yet, the woman had a radiating aura of malice. While Chione did not like her, she was being cordial for Mally's sake. She did not want anything negative with weapons to start again. When Mally spoke her name a few times, she tried the foreign title on her tongue.
"Sil... vi... ah." Chione repeated after him, asking for clarification if she was pronouncing his sibling's name properly. "Mally. Sil-vi-ah?"
“That’s good Chione. Silvia.”
“Mally? You pick up a pet Malakath?” The prince frowned, holding onto Chione protectively. Seeing that this was a subject to not be poked at, Silvia pointed to a boat pulling up by the shore. “Father wants to see you back at the homeland to report your findings. Immediately.”
Malakath slowly nodded, sighing. “Give me a moment with her?”
Silvia pondered this, before nodding back. “Very well. Two minutes. The rest of you, prepare for liftoff.”
Once everyone had given the prince space, he turned to Chione. He gestured to the two of them together, then the boat. “Will you come with me Chione? I know I can be good to you.”
Not protesting when Mally pulled her closer, Chione watched the woman with careful eyes. No, she did not like her. Something was *wrong* with that woman. As Silvia departed, Chione released a breath she did not release she was holding. She also did not mean to wrap her tail around his leg so tightly. It was a bit embarrassing to feel so afraid and then immediate relief. Sheepishly, she uncurled her tail from around Mally's leg so he could move freely.
However, when he pointed to the boat, then the two of them, Chione was very surprised. He wanted her to come?! Away from her homeland? She barely knew the man! What was he thinking? Those people just threatened her! No, it was bad to jump to conclusions. Perhaps things were different with his people. Something was causing all of them to be on guard. She helped him because it was the right thing to do, but was not going to follow him any further. While he was obviously important to his people, and Chione had no clue Mally was a prince, she was not ready to go with him.
"I'm sorry, but my home is here." Chione shook her head lightly, not wanting to hurt his feelings. "You are very sweet, but I know nothing of you or your people. You seem very important to them. You're a someone, I'm... a no one." She gave him a gentle nudge toward the boat. "You belong with them. I belong here."
Malakath had picked up on a few words from Chinone. Some numbers, and yes and no. Speaking in her tongue, he shook his head and held her hand to his chest. “You… are not… a no one.”
"You're sweetheart." Chione gave him a soft smile as he held his hand close to his heart. It was nice having company for a time. She was often by herself, with only her garden for company. "Go home. I'll be okay."
Malakath, placed a gold ring into her palm, shutting it close. "This is for you to give to the flying beast. You keep the glass I gave you."
The prince looked into her eyes one more time, letting go of Chione. For now. "And this, is so you don't forget me."
With one hand around her waist, and the other gently caressing a horn, he leaned in closely, planting a warm, pillowy kiss upon her lips.
Jewelry? Why was he giving her jewelry? Oh... the sand ray, it would need a trinket to take her back home. It was so kind of him to be considerate to part with a golden ring. Chione did not want to have to sacrifice the beautiful horn adornment he made for her. It was her sole treasure.
As Mally pulled her in closer, earning a loud purr from touching her horn, Chione allowed herself to be kissed by the strange man who was washed into her life by the Aaru River. Maybe this was a way his people said goodbye or expressed thanks. She was not sure, but she supposed one of her own customs was not harmful if he wished to try his. As the kiss parted, Chione rubbed her forehead against his as a sign of affection.
"Be safe, Mally."
Malakath longed to take her. But that was not his destiny as of today. Instead, he simply made his way back to the docked boat.
Getting on board the deck, Silvia was watching him closely. “Careful brother. A kiss can lead to a bond.”
“I know what I’m doing sister. Who I choose to love is my choice.”
“Just be careful.” Silvia went over and hugged her brother. “Don’t think otherwise. I was worried for you.”
The prince crossed his arms, unconvinced. “Really now?”
“When I become Empress, I want you to see my triumph.” Least she was honest, he thought. “Is there anything I can get you Malakath?”
The prince paused, an idea coming to him. “Yes… yes I do. Go along the shore until we find another Nara. We need a local that can teach us the language of their people.”
Silvia didn’t laugh at the idea, her own mind thinking it over. “You want to see her again, don’t you?Are her people a resource, an ally, or an enemy to the Kikai Empire?”
“They are a strong people. I think they have the blood of dragons, like us, sister.”
“…Fine. We can do that.” Silvia raised a curious brow. “You know, we could pick up a few others from this continent. Could do us good to get accustomed.”
Malakath nodded. Turning back, he saw Chione taking off back into the air. Clenching his fist, the prince made a promise. “I will see you again."
Here we are once more again this year! New OC-Tober coming soon! Leere had her time in 2019, and Adda for 2020. Like last year, I’m having a poll for who you wish to see this year! The candidates for this year are Gerudo Warrior Klinge/Malik, Hasai Empress Zannah, and Eldritch Villain Teufel. This year there is also an option for a new prompt, if you wish! Voting ends next Tuesday!
https://www.poll-maker.com/poll3902328x4d43df9b-123
https://www.poll-maker.com/poll3902318x4D9e431B-123
